Portugal and Italy refuse to suspend EU digital border checks for Brits

Portugal and Italy have told London they will not suspend the European Union's new Entry-Exit System (EES) for British passport holders during this summer's peak travel season. The decision rejects an explicit UK Foreign Office request for temporary flexibility at major Mediterranean ports of entry.

EES requires biometric capture and a digital entry record for non-EU travellers, including Britons since Brexit. Officials acknowledge the rollout adds one to two minutes per passenger at busy airports such as Lisbon, Rome, Milan and Faro. Industry groups warn that during the July-August peak the cumulative effect could push queue times into hours rather than minutes.

Airline trade bodies say longer border processing risks cascading into flight delays and cancellations across an already capacity-constrained European air-traffic network. The UK government says it is continuing technical talks with Brussels about consular workarounds and pre-clearance pilots, but no concrete agreement is expected before the summer rush.