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American customs officers at Brussels Airport from summer 2017
Brussels Airport is working on the introduction of a preclearance system for flights to the United States, reports La Libre Belgique on Tuesday. From next summer, the system will allow US customs officers to carry out inspections relating to immigration and border control on Belgian, rather than American soil.
"It's like moving the American border to Belgium, where part of the airport will be considered American territory," explains Brussels Airport spokesperson Florence Muls. Several US government employees will be seconded to Brussels Airport.
Brussels Airport is on a list of 10 selected airports (including Amsterdam, Madrid and London) where the procedure will be introduced. Dublin is currently the only city in Europe with the system already in place.
Comments
Oh great, we can now be treated like crap on Belgian soil!
As far as I know the pre-clearance facility also exists at Shannon airport, Ireland.
Pre-clearance does save some time on (jet-lagged) arrival in the US.
"Oh great, we can now be treated like crap on Belgian soil!" - I see it a little differently - these CBP ppl will be NOT allowed to do on Belgian soil what they otherwise would be doing on their own. E.g. they will not be allowed to any search etc. Belgian laws will be still in force.