Key Takeaways:
- Portugal and Italy are expected to be the next EU countries to suspend the new Entry/Exit System (EES) for British tourists.
- Greece already dropped EES rules until September after massive queues and delays at airports.
- The system is plagued by faulty biometric technology and staff shortages, risking a 'house of cards' collapse.
- Travel experts say EU penalties are toothless compared to the tourist revenue at stake.
Greece Broke the Dam – Now Others Follow
Greece has already thrown in the towel on the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) for British holidaymakers. After the rollout led to huge queues and missed flights, Athens decided to suspend biometric checks until September.
Now, Portugal and Italy are poised to be the next dominoes to fall. According to travel experts, these countries are quietly preparing to wave UK tourists through with a simple passport stamp – just like Greece.
Seamus McCauley of Holiday Extras put it bluntly: “Countries are not going to sit back and let Greece take their trade because they won’t face EES delays at airports. To do so would be politically toxic as jobs are on the line.”
A System in Crisis: Faulty Tech and Staff Shortages
The EES, which became fully operational last month, requires all non-EU visitors to submit biometric data – facial scans and fingerprints – at special kiosks on entry and exit. In theory, it’s meant to tighten border security. In practice, it’s been a disaster.
- Faulty biometric readers cause frequent breakdowns.
- Staff shortages mean kiosks are often unmanned.
- Queue times have stretched to hours at major hubs like Madrid, Paris, and Rome.
Ryanair’s chief operations officer Neil McMahon called it a “half-baked IT system” and demanded a suspension until September. “Passengers are paying the price, being forced to endure hours-long passport control queues and in some cases missing flights,” he said.
Portugal Already Waving Passengers Through?
Portugal is already showing signs of defiance. Reports indicate that when queues become too long, Portuguese border officials are simply letting passengers through without full EES checks. This “suspension by default” is expected to become official policy any day now.
Italy, heavily dependent on British tourism – especially for regions like Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast – is closely watching the situation. Travel analysts believe Rome will announce a similar suspension ahead of the May half-term to avoid chaos.
The House of Cards Effect: Spain, France, Croatia Next?
Holiday Extras has analysed which countries are most likely to follow Greece. The key factors:
- Volume of UK visitors – The more Brits, the bigger the incentive to dodge EES.
- Value of tourism – For Greece, British tourists are worth €3.5 billion a year.
- Severity of delays – Airports already struggling will be first to break.
- History of defiance – Some EU members have previously bent Brussels’ rules.
Based on this, Spain, France, and Croatia are the next most likely candidates. McCauley warns: “After that, the whole system could collapse like a house of cards.”
“The rollout has been an utter fiasco. Something has to give.” – Seamus McCauley, Holiday Extras
EU Toothless? The Legal Reality
Brussels could, in theory, take Greece to the European Court of Justice for breaking the rules. But travel experts believe the EU is effectively powerless to enforce compliance quickly.
- Any financial penalty would be dwarfed by the extra tourist income from avoiding EES chaos.
- Court cases take months or years – by then, the summer season will be over.
- Greece can simply reactivate the system in September, having already reaped the benefits.
This creates a dangerous precedent: national interests are trumping EU-wide rules, and other countries are watching closely.
What This Means for British Travelers
For UK holidaymakers, this is good news – at least for now. If you’re heading to Greece, Portugal, or Italy this summer, you may be able to skip the biometric kiosks and get a simple passport stamp instead.
However, chaos is still possible at airports that do enforce EES. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) advises using the EES app to register biometric data in advance – a potential time-saver.
Practical tips:
- Arrive at least 3 hours before departure for Schengen flights.
- Check if your destination has suspended EES before you travel.
- Use the official EES pre-registration app if available.
- Keep an eye on airline updates, especially from Ryanair which is campaigning for suspension.
The Bigger Picture: A Blow to EU Unity?
The EES saga highlights a growing tension between Brussels and member states over border policy. While the EU wants uniform rules, countries with large tourism sectors are increasingly prioritising their local economies.
If more countries follow Greece, the entire Schengen border system could face a crisis of credibility. For now, the message from southern Europe is clear: tourists come first.