Portugal and Italy have no plans to exempt British travellers from Europe's biometric border checks, according to the European Commission.
The clarification follows unconfirmed reports that the two countries might follow Greece in suspending the entry-exit system (EES) for British passport holders. The commission said it had been in contact with both governments, adding: "The Portuguese and Italian authorities confirmed that they do not intend to exempt any nationality."
Under the EU entry-exit system, which should have been implemented at every Schengen area frontier by 10 April, all third-country nationals – including Britons, Australians, Canadians and Venezuelans – must provide fingerprints and facial biometrics at the time of first registration during border crossings.
However, on 17 April, Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, said British passport holders are now exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points. She said the move was aimed at "ensuring a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece".
The rollout of EES has caused disruption and confusion for holidaymakers, with 122 easyJet passengers left behind in Milan because of long biometric queues last month. In April, several Ryanair passengers also missed a flight from Milan Bergamo to Manchester after passport control delays. A Ryanair spokesperson said: "Should these passengers have presented at the boarding gate desk before it closed, they would have boarded this flight."
