Minsters beg European international locations to permit Britons to make use of e-gates forward of summer time vacation exodus

Ministers are begging European international locations to permit Britons to make use of e-gates sooner than the summer time vacations since the deal agreed with Brussels won’t get started quickly sufficient.

Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has written to European opposite numbers together with Greece urging them to permit Brits to make use of e-gates ‘now’.

In a letter to Greece’s deputy international minister, he wrote: ‘It would be greatly appreciated if Greece could also offer access to e-gates where they are available at the border as soon as possible, including on a temporary basis now.’

Mr Thomas-Symonds added: ‘Being able to use e-gates at Greece’s airports could be an important image of the friendship our two international locations proportion.’

Announcing his reset with Brussels, Sir Keir Starmer mentioned the transfer to permit British travellers to make use of European e-gates used to be one of the vital key components of the deal.

The Government mentioned there would now not be any prison obstacles to British travellers the usage of extra e-passport gates in EU international locations.

The Prime Minster mentioned: ‘This partnership helps British holidaymakers, who will be able to use e-gates when they travel to Europe, ending those huge queues at passport control.’

But the Association of British Travel Agents has mentioned the deal ‘won’t have an effect on this summer time’. 

British vacationers are anticipated to need to undergo passport-stamping queues in maximum EU international locations till no less than October and most likely smartly into 2026

British vacationers are anticipated to need to undergo passport-stamping queues in maximum EU international locations till no less than October and most likely smartly into 2026 because the e-gates implementation will likely be phased.

So ministers have began asking the person international locations as an alternative to permit early get right of entry to to their e-gates.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel mentioned: ‘The Prime Minister has lied to British public yet again. 

‘His claim that he joyfully made on Monday that British tourists would benefit from his EU surrender agreement by getting through e-gates when they travel to Europe was just another blatant Starmer lie.

‘The facts are as follows: Europe has followed in Britain’s footsteps via growing an digital access and go out machine and this has been beneath approach for numerous years and is because of absolutely release in October.

‘It is a fact that some airports already allow UK passport holders to use e-gates, and this new agreement doesn’t ensure anything else additional. 

‘Each EU nation keeps the proper to make a decision in my opinion, which means there’s no sure bet, no timeline, and no actual growth secured.’