For the past decade, the European Union (EU) has been working toward achieving 100% “digital borders.” The deadline for all Schengen Area borders to collect biometric data from every third-country national, as part of the EU’s Entry/Exit System, was April 10. Greece surprised the travel industry by announcing that British visitors will be exempt from the requirement of biometric registration when undergoing entry checks at Greek borders.
The Greek Embassy in London announced on social media: “Holders of British passports are exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points.”
The long queues at passport control in Italy, Spain and elsewhere have led some travelers to miss their flights, and Greece seems to be trying to avoid this with the new decision.
In other words, the passports of British travelers will be checked and stamped in the traditional way, manually. Their personal data will be verified and recorded.
The EU’s entry-exit system kiosks installed at Athens airport can be used by other third-country nationals, such as Americans and Australians, but will not be open to British travelers.
The revelation on the weekend was met with some disappointment in Brussels, which is seeking to maintain a unified line and promote a system that, they say, “works very well in the vast majority of member states.”
A European Commission spokesperson said: “We are in contact with the Greek authorities to get clarification on this. As a general rule, the SEU provides flexibility regarding the registration of biometric data. The suspension of the collection of biometric data is possible at specific border crossing points and for a limited period of time in cases of exceptional circumstances, which lead to excessive waiting times.”
The key phrase is: “The legal framework does not provide a general exemption for nationals of specific third countries and for an extended period of time.”
In other words, the suspension of biometric checks at a small Greek island airport for a few hours when queues accumulate is acceptable, while the abolition of the measures throughout the summer is not.
The Commission states that all 29 Schengen member states have approved the timetable, confirming that they will be ready.
As the preparation for the summer continues, special traffic lanes are expected to be introduced at busy Greek airports to separate arrivals from the UK.
