Lib Dems press Burnham to demand EU suspend EES border controls

The Liberal Democrats have formally urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to engage directly with European leaders to suspend the Entry/Exit System (EES) until at least September. The intervention coincides with the peak summer travel period, during which approximately 2.2 million British holidaymakers are expected to depart between Friday and Monday. Calum Miller, the party’s foreign affairs spokesperson, described the biometric registration system as “bungled” and “malfunctioning,” arguing that the government must act to prevent further disruption to citizens and hauliers.

Miller stated that Burnham needs to contact each European leader collectively to persuade them to halt the implementation of the EES, which mandates photographs and fingerprints for non-EU citizens. The spokesperson attributed the operational failures to a “disastrous Brexit deal,” asserting that travellers should not suffer the consequences of a system described as being entirely out of their control. The EES has been technically in force since April following its launch last year, though border police have previously been permitted to relax requirements during periods of extreme delay.

Operational difficulties have already emerged across key routes. Greece has indicated it will not enforce additional biometric checks on UK nationals, who constitute the majority of its incoming non-EU tourists. Meanwhile, technology failures at French borders have rendered automated booths non-functional. Despite these issues, French border police have decided not to fingerprint or photograph car travellers at ferry ports and the Eurotunnel terminal, allowing traffic to pass relatively smoothly despite concerns over potential tailbacks at cross-Channel posts located in the UK.

The travel industry has warned of significant disruptions, with Abta reporting Spain as the primary destination for this weekend’s departures, alongside strong demand for Greece, Portugal, Italy, and Turkey. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer advised passengers to allow ample time for journeys, noting that many would be experiencing the EES for the first time. At the port of Dover, which is anticipating its busiest days of the summer, queueing times were recorded between 10 and 40 minutes on Friday, with over 10,000 cars expected to join usual haulage traffic.

Concerns regarding return flights have prompted EasyJet to urge the EU to extend the suspension of EES checks until the end of October. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has met with EU commissioners and her French counterpart to raise these issues. A government spokesperson confirmed that funds have been allocated for EES facilities and traffic management at Dover, emphasising that while the checks are a matter for the EU, the government is committed to minimising hassle for British travellers.