Spain issued Brexit warning and told Brits will abandon country for Cyprus and Turkey | World | News
Spain has issued a stark warning that Brits will soon abandon the holiday hotspot in favour of Cyprus and Turkey due to the introduction of the European entry and exit system (EES). Kicking off this coming Sunday, October 12, the new strict rules will require UK travellers to provide additional details.
Travel expert Simon Calder says Brits were told things would “get better not worse”. The EU’s hardline stance on a nation that has always pumped money into Spain’s tourism economy may cause Britons to rethink their Majorcan holidays and instead opt for a country where additional checks are not required. Speaking to the Majorca Daily Bulletin Mr Calder said: “From a travel perspective, we were told things were going to get better not worse and in the short term, it may turn people away to other destinations like Cyprus or Turkey until we get used to the new ID system.”
The new EES entry/exit scheme could also prove to be a very nasty trap for British and other third-party (non-EU) second home owners in Majorca and across the Schengen Area in general.
UK citizens without specific residence rights or an EU member-state passport must adhere to the Schengen Area’s 90/180 rule, allowing a maximum of 90 days of stay within any 180-day rolling period.
Brussels has told member states that once the new border force system comes into place they should rigidly enforce the existing 90/180-day rule.
Brits who exceed the post-Brexit limits on how long they can spend in the EU are being warned they will be “automatically detected” through the new system.
The EU warns it will automatically alert border officials when someone has overstayed.
Officials are said to have been aware that some second-home owners in Majorca have been flouting the rules but have been “turning a blind eye” but this will soon come to an ultimately end.
Countries will slowly introduce biometric registration at airports, land borders, and seaports with Spain to begin testing the system on October 12 with visitors landing at Madrid–Barajas–Adolfo Suárez Airport.
It is set to be fully operational at all Schengen Area external border points by April 10, 2026.
Completing EES will involve passengers having their fingerprints registered and photographs taken to enter the EU. All children must register, though under-12s will be exempt from fingerprinting. For most UK travellers this will be done on arrival at foreign airports.
The new rules will apply in the Schengen Area, which includes 29 countries – but not Ireland or Cyprus.
