Jojo Moyes among UK travellers at risk of EU ban amid digital border system glitches
Jojo Moyes faces EU travel ban and fine due to digital border system errors
theguardian.com1 min read
Intelligence analysis by Qwen 2.5 (3B)
UK novelist Jojo Moyes faces a two-year EU travel ban and €10,000 fine for a glitch in the EU's digital entry and exit system, which falsely flagged her as having overstayed.
A writer named Jojo Moyes got in trouble with the EU because a computer system made a mistake and thought she had been in Europe for too long. Now she can't go back for two years and has to pay a lot of money.
Analysis
{"
Technical Issues with EES System":"The EU's digital entry and exit system (EES) was launched last year to replace passport stamps with biometric checks. However, the rollout has been plagued by technical problems, leading to errors in entry and exit records. This has resulted in some Britons being wrongly flagged as having overstayed their 90-day limit.","
Case of Jojo Moyes":"Jojo Moyes, a bestselling novelist, was detained by French border guards after a holiday and accused of overstaying. She had spent only 23 days in the EU over six months. The system falsely stated she had used up her allowance, leading to a two-year ban and €10,000 fine.","
Impact on Travelers":"The system's failure to record some travelers' departures has led to confusion and legal issues. Some countries have suspended the EES and resorted to manual passport checks due to technical glitches and staff shortages. The EU is now suing three firms over the failures."}
Key points
- Jojo Moyes faces a two-year EU travel ban and €10,000 fine for a glitch in the digital entry and exit system
- The system falsely flagged some travelers as having overstayed their 90-day limit
- Some countries have suspended the EES and resorted to manual passport checks due to technical glitches and staff shortages
- The EU is now suing three firms over the failures
- The Foreign Office advises travelers to carry evidence of when they last left the EU and to raise any anomalies with border officials
The Upside
The EU and its member states will work together to fix the digital border system and prevent similar issues in the future.
The Downside
If the system remains broken, it could cause more travelers to face legal troubles and inconvenience.
