Dutch and French bid to print Britain’s post-Brexit passport

DUTCH and French digital security firms are bidding against Britain’s De La Rue for the right to print Britain’s first post-Brexit passport.

When the UK leaves the European Union it will need a passport that does not display the EU logo.

While the final design and the exact details of the passport are not known, firms across Europe are racing to win the right to print it.

Printer of the current UK passport, De La Rue is one of the companies which has put in a tender with the UK Passport Agency. But Gemalto from Holland and France’s Oberthur Technologies have also put in bids with the winner expected to be announced next year. The UK banknote printer said it will make a significant investment in its Gateshead site if it wins.

The details of the bidding war were announced in results for De La Rue published yesterday. Overall revenue grew 29pc to £244.7m while profit grew 7pc to £24.6m.