European Countries Urged to Let Britons Use E-Gates Before Summer Exodus

Ministers are pleading with European nations to permit British citizens to utilize electronic gates before the summer vacation as part of the agreement.
agreed with Brussels
won’t begin rapidly enough.

Minister for Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds has penned letters to his European peers which include
Greece
encouraging them to permit Brits to access e-gates immediately.

In his correspondence with Greece’s deputy foreign minister, he stated: “Greece’s prompt consideration of providing access to e-gates wherever accessible at the borders, even temporarily for now, would be highly valued.”

Mr. Thomas-Symonds added: “The ability to utilize e-gates at Greece’s airports would serve as a substantial emblem of the strong bond between our two nations.”

Announcing his reboot with Brussels, Sir
Keir Starmer
stated that permitting British travelers to utilize European electronic gates was a crucial component of the agreement.

The government stated that there won’t be any legal obstacles preventing British travelers from utilizing additional e-passport gates in EU nations.

The Prime Minister stated: “This agreement benefits UK vacationers as they can utilize electronic gates for entry into Europe, eliminating the long lines typically seen at border checkpoints.”

However, the Association of British Travel Agents has stated that the deal will not affect this summer’s travel plans.

British travelers are anticipated to face lengthy passport-control lines in the majority of EU nations up until at least October, with potential delays extending through 2026 due to the gradual rollout of e-gate systems.

Therefore, ministers began requesting each country individually to permit earlier use of their e-gates.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel stated: “The Prime Minister has deceived the British public once more.”

The assertion he proudly put forward on Monday stating that British tourists would gain advantages from his EU concession deal by using e-gates during their travels to Europe was merely yet another overt falsehood attributed to Starmer.

Here are the details: Similar to Britain, Europe has been working on establishing an electronic entry and exit system for several years, with plans to roll out completely in October.

‘It is true that certain airports currently permit UK passport holders to utilize e-gates, and this recent accord does not ensure any additional benefits.’

‘State members of the EU have individual authority to make their own decisions here, which implies that nothing is guaranteed, no schedule exists, and no genuine progress has been assured.’

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