The Greek tourism minister, Olga Kefalogianni, has assured British holidaymakers that they will not face any delays at Greek borders during the summer season. Kefalogianni emphasized that the Greek government aims to avoid burdening visitors with bureaucratic procedures, including biometric checks, when entering or leaving the country.
Efforts to streamline border controls
Despite the European Union’s recent introduction of the Entry-Exit System (EES), which requires biometric data registration for short-term visitors from outside the EU and European Economic Area, Greece has taken steps to ensure smooth border crossings. The EES involves collecting fingerprints and facial scans on the first crossing, with one of these biometric checks performed on subsequent entries or exits.
While some EU countries have experienced significant delays due to the new system, Greece has worked to keep border checks efficient. Kefalogianni stated that the country aims for frontier checks to take “less than a couple of minutes.” She confirmed that British visitors will not be subject to biometric checks at any point during the summer season.
Temporary suspension of biometric checks for UK visitors
Greece initially suspended biometric checks on UK visitors in early April after long queues formed at Corfu airport. The Greek government maintains that this suspension does not violate EU rules, which allow temporary suspension of EES checks during periods of high congestion but prohibit blanket exemptions for specific nationalities.
“What we’re doing is not actually an exemption,” Kefalogianni explained. “It’s just that we have made sure that we facilitate the procedure in a way that means visitors are not burdened.”
The European Commission has acknowledged the situation and is in contact with Greece to clarify the rules and ensure compliance.
Tourism outlook amid external challenges
Kefalogianni also addressed concerns about jet fuel shortages and their potential impact on travel. She noted that the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran has slowed jet fuel supplies from the Gulf, affecting Europe’s fuel imports. This situation has made some tourists more hesitant to travel.
However, the minister highlighted Greece’s strong tourism offerings and competitive pricing as factors that continue to attract visitors. She reported that many holidaymakers are already in Greece and expressed optimism about welcoming more as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, the UK government has advised British travelers that there is currently no need to change travel plans due to jet fuel concerns, citing no shortages in the UK and the presence of contingency measures.