Huge change to EU entry rules this year set to spark travel chaos for Brits
Brits could be in for more travel misery this year when the EU finally brings in a change to its entry rules, despite fears of chaos at borders.
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The new Entry/Exit System (EES) scheme will require all non-EU arrivals to have fingerprint and facial recognition checks for the first time they visit since the rollout.
Passengers will also need to scan their passport, have their photo taken and answer a series of questions about their trip.
This will replace manual passport stamps, and is intended to be more secure than the old system amid growing terror concerns.
But the system is set to cause delays for travellers.
Read more: EU fingerprint checks for holidaymakers delayed indefinitely amid fears of travel chaos
Processing times for a car with a family of four could increase from less than 60 seconds to as long as seven minutes.
And airlines have been warned they may need to hold passengers on the tarmac so airports don't get overcrowded.
The system was originally set to be rolled out last November but was delayed by some countries saying they were not ready for the changes.
Assita Kanko, the Belgian conservative MEP who is responsible for the EES system, said: "We will no longer let the slowest pupils hold the whole class back.
"The safety of Europeans can no longer be postponed."
Ms Kanko added: "Reliance on paper stamps at borders, while criminals operate digitally, is unacceptable.
"The EES is not just a security measure but also aids legal travellers more efficiently, with fewer queues and increased certainty."