Much-loved European holiday island to join Schengen Area next year and why it's bad news for Brits
The popular island that sees around 1.3 million Brits visiting each year has announced it hopes to join the zone in 2026 meaning that holiday rules will change.
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The President of Cyprus revealed the countries plans to join the Schengen Area
Credit: Alamy
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The island is popular with Brits - but the change will impact potential holidays
The
These include 25 EU member states, as well as four non-EU countries; Iceland,
Essentially, the Schengen Area is a passport-free travel zone, which allows people to move between participating countries without border checks.
But there are strict rules that
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The rules state that a total stay in the
It does not matter how many countries you visit as the 180 day period keeps rolling.
Currently, a visit
So any time you spend in the Schengen Area does not affect the number of days you can spend in
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Most read in News Travel
President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus recently announced that the island will "enter the Schengen Zone in 2026.'
He added: 'A huge effort is being made, we will complete all the technicalities we need."
All the free activities Cyprus has to offer
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Millions of Brits head to Cyprus every year for a holiday
Credit: Alamy
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This means that Cypriots face border checks and visa issues when travelling to surrounding EU countries.
For Cyprus, joining the Schengen Area will mean locals can access the country with more ease and without extra border checks.
For Cypriots, the move will be beneficial for trade as it allows goods to flow more easily between countries without custom checks at internal borders.
The timing will coincide with the launch of the
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The new syste
m
is being introduced as part of enhanced security measures for
travellers
.
The new system that will require non-EU travellers to get approval beforehand.
For Brits, you will need one of these to go into any of the Schengen Area nations.
Currently, the only EU states that aren't members of the Schengen Area are Ireland and Cyprus.
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Here's more on the
And the
Here's A List Of Non-Schengen Countries
United Kingdom
Ireland
Albania
Armenia
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cyprus
Georgia
Kosovo
Moldova
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Russia
Serbia
Turkey
Ukraine
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Cyprus is one of the last countries in the EU to join the Schengen Area
Credit: Alamy
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The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
UK's most remote inhabited island with rare birdlife and the wreckage of a Spanish Armada ship
ISLE GO UK's most remote inhabited island with rare birdlife and the wreckage of a Spanish Armada ship THE UK's most remote island measures just five kilometres by three kilometres - yet has a lot to boast about. The southernmost of the Shetland Islands, Fair Isle, is home to only 60 people - most of whom are located at the south end of the island. Advertisement 5 Fair Isle is located in the Shetland Islands and is home to only 60 people Credit: Alamy 5 The island boasts coastal walks with breathtaking views Credit: Alamy For those heading to the island, it is home to a large variety of different birdlife including Kittiwakes, Puffins and Gannets. In fact, over 350 bird species have been recorded on the island. Having only recently opened in May, The Fair Isle Bird Observatory offers visitors the chance to look out for many of the rare species or experience a guided tour. From 2026, you can even stay in the Observatory. Advertisement Alongside the bird life, there is a wealth of other fauna and flora to see across the island, making it the perfect spot for a hike. There are a number of coastal walks or you could follow the road up to the North Haven and North Lighthouse. And if you want to learn about the island's history, head to the South Lighthouse for a tour arranged through the Fair Isle Lighthouse Society. The island is also famous for Fair Isle knitting - a traditional style of knitting with patterns using two colours per row. Advertisement The creative knitwear suddenly rose in popularity after the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) wore Fair Isle jumpers in 1921. Whilst much of today's knitted creations do not follow the original process, some of the island's craftspeople do still create garments using the traditional pattern. We live on a remote island home to only 30 people and don't celebrate Christmas until January... but we're not unique, Rather unusually, Fair Isle also has a long history of shipwrecks with some dating back to the Viking period. One of the most famous shipwrecks is the Spanish Armada ship El Gran Grifón. Advertisement The 650-ton 38-gun ship sank on September 27, 1588 and for many years remained untouched. However, over the years many of the ship's parts and items were excavated and taken, with some brought to Lerwick, where they can be seen at the Shetland Museum. 5 There is also a Bird Observatory on the island that you visit or even stay at from 2026 Credit: Alamy 5 You can see parts of the wrecked Spanish Armada ship at Shetland Museum Credit: National Fund for Acquisitions Advertisement The island can be reached from Mainland, Shetland's main island, either by sea or by flying. If travelling by sea, the Good Shepherd IV ferry carries 12 people and the journey takes around two-and-a-half hours. Alternatively, you can catch a 25-minute flight from Tingwall airport. There are flights to the island each day, providing the weather isn't too windy. Advertisement These Are Expedia's Top 10 Islands for 2025 Aruba Bali Dominican Republic Fiji Jamaica Koh Samui Maldives Oahu, Hawaii Paros, Greece Sardinia, Italy Elsewhere, the UK's 'happiest islands' have white sand beaches and attractions older than the Egyptian pyramids. Plus, five islands off the coast of the UK you can visit without needing your passport.
Irish Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Things for teens to do in Dublin city centre during the holidays
We're past the halfway point of the school summer holidays and boredom is setting in. The annual sun getaway abroad is behind many of us and most parents have to work full-time. Kids can do summer camps, but teens can be tricky - and costly - to keep entertained. These spirited youngsters want to do stuff on their own, which is handy; but it's also nice to join them occasionally, when time allows. Surprisingly, one of the best places for family activities to suit teens is Dublin city centre. With a number of new attractions, it's become a teen-friendly capital. It's now home to some brand-new top entertainment options. These attractions - all opened this year - have positioned Dublin as a great city for family fun. I went out with my son Luc, 15, and his pals, to try them out. Here's what we thought of them. (L-R Sarah Clancy, CEO Little Museum of Dublin, Mary Stack of Fáilte Ireland, Emma Blain, Lord Mayor and First Citizen of Dublin) Little Museum of Dublin The capital's quirkiest museum has just re-opened after a €4million renovation that took a year to complete. It's a new-look, modernised refit that brings the museum - located in a Georgian mansion on iconic St Stephen's Green - into the 21st century. However it has retained its ethos as a 'hospitable, historic and humorous welcome to Dublin.' Visitors are first brought into a special screening room for a fully immersive introduction video, which features a cheeky Molly Malone. The tour is a crash course in Dublin history, carried out with wit, wisdom, eccentricity and charm. It's an educational and entertaining activity for teens - a bit wacky and never boring. The tour is less than an hour, moves at pace and is easy to grasp, and explanations like how Dublin went from "Irish village, to Viking Town, to English city, to proud European capital." There's plenty of humour, and the teens were delighted by effervescent young guide Saul, a world-famous Irish dancer who treated us to a jig around the room. It's highly cultural, with plenty of mentions of some of the city's most impressive figures such as Brendan Behan, Oscar Wilde, Maureen O'Hara and Bono. It also reveals lesser-known tales of the city, such as how both the British and Irish sides in the 1916 Rising agreed to a ceasefire every day to allow the ducks to be fed in Stephen's Green. This one will amuse young culture vultures. I enjoyed the nostalgia of artefacts from the recent past, such as Callcards and Dublin Millennium milk bottles. Family tickets are €45; student entry is €16. Lane7 Stepping into Lane7 on Dublin's Clarendon Row is like stepping back into the 1980s. This is a bowling and gaming venue with a retro vibe, which the younger gang seem to find amusing. For me, it's nostalgia - for them, it's 'Leisureplex, but 80s' as they deemed it. Lane7 is far more swish than Leisureplex and is definitely set up for a night out, or a place to bring a date, or just a cool hangout. It's all graffiti walls and neon lights and funky bar areas. All the old-skool games are here, and many have an American flavour. There's a slick bowling lane, a photo booth called the Kissing Booth, and beer pong. There's also darts, which was the biggest hit with this competitive bunch, and it's interactive, so the board does the 'math' for you. Classic arcade games include Space Invaders and you can also shoot hoops in a basketball toss game or play ice hockey on a board. The bar serves food and drink - with a large cocktail menu - but has a very strict age policy for alcohol, so no worries there for younger visitors. The Dundrum venue is bigger and has more games such as pool and shuffleboard, but to have a place like this to go in the city centre is special. A great, budget-friendly place for young people to meet friends and have fun and more social teens in particular will love it. World of Illusion Dublin World of Illusion This is a place for young scientists, or those with curious minds. A trip to the World of Illusion at Dublin's Central Plaza will leave you fascinated by how our perceptions of the world can be changed by our environment - light, colour, patterns and movement. Up to 70 visual illusions and interactive exhibitions are here to experience, and some of them are mind-blowing. We all loved the Vortex Tunnel, which is simply a static bridge in a dark room. However, add swirling lights and it creates the illusion of movement. So those crossing it feel like they're being thrown about, even though nothing is moving. The infinity mirrors in the Infinity Room is mesmerising: you're in a room the size of a large cupboard, but it feels like it goes on forever. The large kaleidoscope allows you to see your face as a kaleidoscopic pattern, while in the Ames room, you appear to change size, depending on what position you're standing in. The gravity-defying exhibition makes it appear as though you're being blown vertically in the wind, while the head-on-a-platter installation makes it appear as though you're about to be eaten for dinner. The entire visit to the World of Illusion takes no more than an hour and a half, and there is plenty of wonder to discuss afterwards. Student entry is €18.70, while a family ticket is €63.75. For more information, see Sandbox VR It's amazing that a VR venue of such a size is in the city centre. Usually they're far out in the suburbs, involving a hike through traffic, so it's really convenient for it to be so accessible. But Sandbox is another level. It's not just some warehouse where you go to shoot up zombies, this is a social day out in the world's most advanced virtual reality experience. We played Red Light Green Light, based on the Netflix hit Squid Game, and it's all so hyper-real, it feels like you're inside the game. Teens who love tech and gaming adore this place. We were kitted out with the most high-tech VR headsets, 3-D precision body trackers, custom hardware, sensors and haptic vests. All you could hear from the room was the screams and shouts of six teenagers having the time of their lives. They hadn't even left the building when they were planning their next trip back. One of the big draws is Toni, Ireland's first robotic bartender. After the game, players can head for the comfortable bar area for a few cocktails and mocktails. As we drank them, we got to watch footage of our game, showing us both in the real world and the VR alternative universe. With a total capacity of 150 people, Sandbox occupies 11,000 square feet of the new development, Grafton Place, at 39 Nassau Street, just steps away from Grafton Street. Prices vary from €30 to €50 per person, depending on whether the visit is peak or off-peak. Sandbox VR opens from 10am until 11pm to 12pm, seven days a week. For more of the latest breaking news from the Irish Mirror check out our homepage by clicking here.
RTÉ News
11 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Tariffs: Some clarity, but still a lot of uncertainty
After months of negotiations, on again-off again tariffs, delayed implementation dates and threatened higher levies, Donald Trump's 15% tariff on most imports from the EU to the US took effect at midnight on Thursday. It means many Irish products being exported to the US now face a tariff of 15% with, so far, very few exemptions. US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced two weeks ago that the US and EU have agreed on a major tariff and trade deal. They announced the 15% rate, but the finer details have yet to be published as trade talks are ongoing, and the EU suspended retaliatory measures. Businesses are now waiting on this joint declaration, a final written trade agreement between the European Union and the United States to be published. Since April a baseline tariff of 10% had been in effect, this has now risen to 15%, better than a threatened 30%, although its still not good for businesses. Exporters and manufacturers in some sectors are still waiting on whether this rate will stick, or if it could change and when. What do we have clarity on? The EU's trade and tariff deal with the US has stabilised on a single 15% tariff rate for most EU exports. This rate applies across most sectors, including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. According to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, this 15% is a "clear ceiling" with "no stacking" and is "all-inclusive". "It gives much-needed clarity for our citizens and businesses. This is absolutely crucial," she said. There are certain exemptions to the 15% baseline, where zero-for-zero tariffs on several strategic products have been agreed. This includes all aircraft and component parts, certain chemicals, certain generics, semiconductor equipment, certain agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials. Where is there uncertainty? The EU is hoping that now that a framework is in place, there will be space to exempt more areas from tariffs in the future, but it's unclear when that might be. Some key elements, of the deal, particularly of interest to Irish exporters, still have to be negotiated. This includes what it will mean for the EU's dairy and spirits sector. On sectoral carve-outs, Tánaiste Simon Harris said the Government "very much wants to see zero-for-zero when it comes to the spirits industry." Approximately 95% of whiskey produced here goes abroad, with the vast majority going to the US. Irish whiskey, Irish cream and Irish drinks are protected under a geographical indication which means they must be made on the island of Ireland, production can't move to avoid a tariff, according to the Irish Whiskey Association Director Eoin Ó Catháin. "Until we see the exact wording of this joint declaration, which is to come from the EU and the US and until we understand exactly what exemptions are included as part of that agreement, we won't know for certain where spirits drinks or the indeed the Irish drinks industry as a whole will fall as part of this agreement," said Mr Ó Catháin. "As long as there's uncertainty, that does cause a lot of difficulties for exporters and for businesses who are hoping to grow." Last year Ireland exported almost €2 billion worth of agri-food produce to the US. So aside from spirits, Dairy and Agri food producers are still waiting for clarity on the potential for 'zero-for-zero' tariffs for certain agricultural products. While the Dairy Industry is highlighting broader implications for a tariff border on the island of Ireland. (see below) Pharmaceuticals which had previously been exempt from the 10% baseline tariff are now subject to the 15% rate. On Tuesday, just nine days after he personally agreed to a 15% EU-US tariffs deal, President Trump said in relation to the pharmaceutical sector this figure relates to "one year, one and a half years maximum". The US President also said "it's (the pharmaceutical tariff) going to go to 150%, and then it's going to go to 250% because we want pharmaceuticals made in our country," before specifically referencing pharmaceutical firms based in China and Ireland. This threat is coupled with uncertainty regarding the outcome of the US Department of Commerce's investigation under s232 of the Trade Expansion Act which is evaluating imports of pharmaceutical products. The EU said the 15% ceiling is clear and "all-inclusive", but there is still a question over the stability of that rate for pharmaceuticals. President Trump also announced a 100% levy on imported chips this week but said it will not apply to companies that are manufacturing in the US or have committed to do so. This means Apple and its 6,000 Irish employees would not be affected, after the tech giant committed to investing an additional $100 billion in its home market in the US. This announcement at the Oval Office was not a formal tariff announcement meaning it's unclear if Ireland and other Irish chip exporters will be impacted. What about tariffs across the island of Ireland? Two weeks since the deal was announced, this remains another area of uncertainty for businesses. Some sectors are calling for clarity on whether exports to the US from Northern Ireland (NI) will be treated differently to exports from the Republic of Ireland (ROI). The tariff for goods from the ROI is 15%, but the UK US trade deal agreed a 10% baseline tariff which applies to NI. Dairy Industry Ireland pointed out that the dairy industry operates on an all-island basis, with integrated supply chains and cross border trade in raw milk, ingredients, and finished products. It said any divergence in these tariffs could create huge issues and added cost for processors and farmers. The UK-US trade deal also contains a commitment to negotiate significantly preferential treatment for UK pharmaceutical products, contingent on the outcome of the s232 investigation, without clarity on a similar commitment for the EU. The difference in rates across the island could create a complicated situation and pose challenges for the post Brexit agreement, the Windsor framework. How have businesses been reacting? Many companies are working together to figure out how to navigate the tariffs, what it will mean for supply chains, increased costs, exploring new markets and avoiding laying people off. The Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing Cluster (ATIM) in the midlands comprises of over 70 members spanning engineering, polymer, food and drink, medical devices, and technology solutions. Some companies have been hit more than others depending on where their main exporting base was, according to ATIM Manager Caitriona Mordan. "I know for example one company within the spirits side, they would have been historically an Irish brand, and they have tried to mitigate against some of those tariffs, even with the 10%, but they have now relocated to the US," said Ms Mordan. She noted that some of the main issues they're actively working on include progressing trade in new markets such as Canada, and other less traditional markets like the Middle East and South America, company restructuring, how to mitigate losses and manage tight margins as well as avoiding having to lay off staff. "Things are certainly slowing down, but I think Irish companies are resilient. They do need financial supports from government as well as those supports for market discovery to new markets as well," explained Ms Mordan. "Mullingar is steeped in Irish owned, indigenous manufacturing companies, which is a rarity. "But if you begin to get that ripple where you're laying people off, it has huge impact on the wider economies that we're trying to really bolster as well, and that's ultimately detrimental. "So, we're really trying to work with them and it's that peer-to-peer piece of how we're supporting each other, how we're tapping into new markets and how they're learning." Neill McDonnell, CEO Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association said: "Uncertainty is actually the killer of business confidence and business plans." "In an environment where you can't say with a degree of certainty what the cost base on your side and the buyer's side is going to look like in the medium term, it's impossible to borrow money, for example."
