British tourists face price hikes for holidays to Europe under planned EU travel policy
Holidays to Europe will cost more if EU proposals to increase its planned entry fee go ahead.
Currently, plans are for holidaymakers from outside the bloc to pay €7 (£5.98) for an online permit when entering as part of the Etias scheme.
The system is due to be rolled out from next year, following the introduction of the Entry/Exit System, which will eventually require biometric data to be provided at the border.
But the European Union is considering raising the price to help with repayments on a €350 billion (£299 billion) debt used to fund the post-Covid recovery, according to Politico.
Etias, which stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System, is emerging as one of the most popular tax options ahead of budget proposals next month, the publication said.
This would be a further blow to Brits, who already face longer queues and more red tape since Brexit.
'A possible adjustment of the fee' is being considered, a European Commission spokesperson told Politico.
And a note seen by the website saw the Polish rotating Council presidency write: 'It seems that there is a possibility of a gradual increase of the fee, strengthening the long-term revenue potential.'
The Mail has contacted the European Commission for comment.
The proposed €7 fee is cheaper than the £16 charged to apply for the UK's version, the Electronic Travel Authorisation, or the $21 (£15.60) price of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization used by the US.
The news comes at a time of softening of relations between the UK and EU, with hopes that tourists will face easier experiences at passport control and suffer less bureaucracy on the continent.
British tourists have begun using e-gates at Faro Airport after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed an agreement with EU leaders last month.
However, they are still facing queues of nearly half an hour.
Mark Francois, Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford as well as chairman of the European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers, is unhappy with any potential price rise for the Etias.
'This just adds insult to injury over the Government's so-called Brexit reset,' he told GB News.
'Not only has it become apparent that promises of British tourists being fast-tracked through e-gates in EU countries were largely illusory, even when they do get through immigration, they will now pay extra for the privilege.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Kevin Durant buys a minority stake in PSG as Champions League winners consider 'potential' plans to create a BASKETBALL franchise
NBA star Kevin Durant has purchased a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain and will help consult on the Champions League winner's plans to expand into basketball. Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), who own the French champions, signed an investment and stratgeic partnership with two-time NBA champion Durant on Friday. The agreement will see Durant 'consult' on the club's 'multi-sport strategy, including potential plans in basketball'. PSG already have handball and judo teams to add to their footballing sides. And QSI have previously expressed an interest in launching a basketball franchise in Paris. The Durant deal comes amid discussions between the NBA and FIBA about a new European league. PSG's formation would come as part of the NBA's possible European expansion, under the name NBA Europe. NBA commissioner Adam Silver wants to launch a new professional league in Europe with 16 teams, with franchises in London and Paris, and defectors from the EuroLeague. There is already a Parisian team in the EuroLeague but sources told The Athletic that PSG have ambitions to join NBA Europe. Last month, Durant was ranked as the world's tenth highest paid athelete on Forbes' rich list. The 36-year-old earned an estimated $101.4m (£76.1m) last year alone. The American had previously invested millions in a shareholding in Paris Saint-Germain via investment firm Boardroom. In a press release, Durant said: 'It is an honour to partner with QSI and be a shareholder in Paris Saint-Germain — a club and a city that is so close to my heart. 'This club has big plans ahead and I can't wait to be a part of the next phase of growth; and to explore new investment opportunities with QSI.' Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, added: 'QSI is pleased to welcome Kevin Durant as a direct shareholder in Paris Saint-Germain and strategic partner of our group. 'We continually seek to elevate the club and our broader portfolio through high-impact partnerships that bring strategic value, innovation, and global perspective. Together with Kevin, we look forward to developing ambitious initiatives that will drive the continued global growth of Paris Saint-Germain and QSI.'
The Sun
22 minutes ago
- The Sun
I work at Costa – the five annoying things people always do – please stop ordering whilst on your phone for starters
A WOMAN who works as a barista in Costa has revealed the most annoying traits of customers. Lauren Taylor, from the UK, took to social media to inform people about what they shouldn't do when ordering a coffee. 2 2 The first annoying thing many customers do is simply forget their manners. Lauren will greet customers with a 'hello' but instead of saying it back, many bark their drink order at her. "A simple hello goes a long way," she reminded them. Another grievance of Lauren's was that customers would not pick a size for their drink, instead insisting they wanted a 'normal' size. She urged them to simply look at the available sizes and pick one. The barista was also fed up with customers thinking she was a mind reader when it came to what coffee they wanted. Many would ask for 'just a coffee' despite having twenty different ones to choose from Lauren would often suggest a classic Americano with milk, but would be corrected by the customer that they wanted a latte. The barista was often stuck calling out the coffee order to the customer standing in front of them with no reply in return. She said it seems like customers often forget what they ordered or choose to blatantly ignore her. Huge coffee chain with over 1,300 shops to close high street shop Last but not least, Lauren was sick of customers ordering their coffee while being busy on the phone. Not only was it rude, but customers often order the wrong drink as they're preoccupied and then blame the barista. "Somehow, this is still my fault," she said. The video has since gone viral on her TikTok account @ laurenjtaylor with over 88k views. Costa Coffee loyalty scheme perks COSTA Club members can get early access to new menus among other perks. To join download the Costa Coffee app, it's free to download via the Apple app store or Google Play store. Stamps can be collected in any of the chain's 2,800 coffee shops, as well as around 12,000 machines in petrol stations and convenience stores. You can get stamps for spending in store and using a reusable cup. You get a free drink after collecting ten stamps, or beans as they are called. For a small latte, at £3.50, it's £35 to get a free coffee. Those going to a Costa store can earn an additional bean with a reusable cup, so that cuts the outlay down to £17.50 or buying five coffees. How it works: 1 drink purchased = 1 bean, 10 beans = free drink Small latte cost: £3.50 Number of drinks to hit target: 10 Cost for a 'free' coffee: £35 Reusable cup bonus: Yes, one extra bean You also get free cake on your birthday. Plenty of people who work in hospitality took to the comments, sharing their own stories. One person wrote: "I work at Greggs and I feel your pain." Another commented: 'I had a woman last week ask me for a normal coffee… she wanted an oat milk flat white." "'Regular latte' 'Ok medium' 'No?? Small,'" penned a third. Meanwhile a fourth said: "I work at Costa and can confirm all these things are 100% spot on." "As someone who works in a cinema I totally understand this! No one ever tells you what they actually want,' claimed a fifth. Someone else added: ''Can I get a white coffee' then proceeds to argue with me that a white coffee is a latte and there's no such thing as an americano with milk.2
Telegraph
23 minutes ago
- Telegraph
How JK Rowling became a lightning rod for attacks by pro-trans activists
These are dark times in the wizarding world. Stephen Fry, who narrated all seven of JK Rowling's Harry Potter audio books, has become the latest celebrity to lambast the author for her views on trans issues. Fry told the Show People podcast that Rowling 'has been radicalised by terfs' (a slur meaning 'transgender-exclusionary radical feminists') and described his former friend and colleague as a 'lost cause'. But Fry's censure won't deter the author. Rowling has spent the past five years fending off increasingly vitriolic attacks and even death threats as she became the chief spokesperson for women's rights – and the biggest lightning rod for attacks by pro-trans activists. It was in 2019 that Rowling began sharing her views publicly, initially by supporting other campaigners. In December of that year, she robustly defended Maya Forstater, a researcher locked in an employment discrimination battle for expressing gender-critical opinions. Rowling posted on Twitter: 'Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who'll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill'. Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who'll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 19, 2019 Rowling progressed to leading the charge in 2020. In June, she posted a scathing tweet in response to an article about 'people who menstruate'. Rowling commented: 'I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?' It prompted an online backlash in which her critics called her transphobic – an allegation she denied. 'People who menstruate.' I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud? Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020 Still, it wasn't entirely clear what was motivating her involvement until she published a lengthy and thoughtful essay on her website that same month. Rowling wrote that her interest in this subject actually went back two years: she had been closely following the debate, and reading books and articles by trans people, gender specialists, psychologists, doctors and more. Rowling explained that she also had a very personal interest. She revealed that she was a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor, and that was part of her concern around the erosion of protected single-sex spaces. Rowling's remarkable candour is part of what makes her such an effective advocate, says her friend, fellow campaigner and Telegraph columnist Suzanne Moore. The pair first got in touch in 2020 – also an eventful year for Moore, who left The Guardian after 338 of its employees wrote a critical open letter in response to Moore's column about women's rights. Moore says of Rowling: 'Her experience of domestic violence, and her understanding of what it is to be poor, to be a single parent, to not to have access to services, that is a crucial aspect. Although she's incredibly rich and famous, a part of Jo will always be worrying about how to pay the next bill or afford childcare. That means she understands the vulnerability of others. I think people relate to that – it's a very human thing.' Rowling's emotional response is balanced, says Moore, by her conviction about the core issues, including 'that women and girls matter, and that children should not be medicalised. She sees this as one of the biggest medical scandals of the past decade.' Mandy Rhodes, editor of Holyrood magazine and a long-time campaigner for women's rights in Scotland, admits she was initially sceptical about Rowling's involvement. 'I did have that moment of thinking 'Oh, it's someone very famous jumping on the bandwagon'. But within days I understood how committed she was.' Crucially, argues Moore, Rowling 'didn't come into this for her own ego'. Nor was it a fashionable position to take; quite the opposite. 'She could have just sat back and enjoyed her massive success,' says Moore. 'She chose to take a stand. You see all these men like Stephen Fry or Boy George coming at her and they end up looking absolutely stupid. She's what everybody fears: a woman who doesn't give a f---. She doesn't need to be liked – she's already loved. She's a rock star.' Rhodes explains: 'Many of us who put our heads above the parapet were then in the position of trying to save our jobs or keep our sanity because of the criticism being levelled at us. Jo was in a more powerful position and she used it. That really elevated everything.' In 2022, Rowling took action by funding a women-only support centre, Beira's Place in Edinburgh, for victims of sexual violence. 'There was no such single-sex service before,' she said in an interview. 'I know that was well worth doing because of the number of women who are coming through our doors.' Over three years she has donated £1 million to fund running costs, including a staff of nine counselling support workers who have provided more than 6,000 hours of support to 700 women and girls.' Moore visited the centre with Rowling and was struck by how 'Jo sat back and listened to the experienced staff explaining why this was important. That said a lot to me.' Rowling has also regularly challenged controversial legislation in Scotland. In 2022 she condemned a bill that would make it easier for trans people to legally change gender, and in 2024 she criticised a new hate crime act by posting her views on X and challenging Scottish police to arrest her. 'As a writer, she passionately believes in free speech,' says Moore. 'That's something that her critics don't necessarily understand about the arguments she's making.' That same year, Rowling leapt to the defence of resigning Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who had previously been criticised by Keir Starmer for saying that only women have a cervix. The author wrote on X that Duffield 'was one of the few female Labour politicians with the guts to stand up for vulnerable women and girls.' Rosie Duffield was one of the few female Labour politicians with the guts to stand up for vulnerable women and girls, while self-satisfied numbskulls like you fought to give away their rights and spaces. TL;DR Keep her name out of your mouth. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 28, 2024 Rowling has also weighed in on women's sport. In 2024 she posted a photograph of Olympic Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, saying that it showed a man 'enjoying the distress of a woman he's just punched in the head'. Rosie Duffield was one of the few female Labour politicians with the guts to stand up for vulnerable women and girls, while self-satisfied numbskulls like you fought to give away their rights and spaces. TL;DR Keep her name out of your mouth. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 28, 2024 Moore says that while many women share such concerns, voicing them puts you in a very lonely position. Even Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, who owe their fame to Rowling's Harry Potter movie franchise, have publicly disagreed with her on trans issues, as has Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne. 'People are hurling abuse at you constantly,' adds Moore. 'This issue came to a head during lockdown, when you felt really isolated. Jo is absolutely the person you want beside you in the trenches: her personal courage, her cleverness and her funniness keep you going.' They were both highly amused, says Moore, when a lunch that Rowling organised for campaigners (including Forstater, Prof Kathleen Stock and Julie Bindel) at the River Café in west London in April 2022 became the focus of rabid attention. 'Women have pasta and wine and suddenly it's a national news story! Actually what she's done is bring people together from across the political spectrum and foster real camaraderie.' Rhodes was delighted to meet Rowling at the Edinburgh launch, in 2024, for the book of essays The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht (Rowling contributed a piece). 'At first I didn't recognise her – she hadn't made an effort to stand out,' says Rhodes. 'I tapped her on the shoulder and said, 'Hi, I'm Mandy', and she immediately said, 'It's so amazing to meet you', and was actually quite deferential to me, which was very kind. I don't think you can exaggerate how horrible and painful it felt being in Scotland at the forefront of all this. It meant a lot to all of us that she was there.' It also helps to have a globally best-selling author articulating your message. Reflecting on Rowling's 2020 personal essay, Rhodes says: 'What she wrote was so simple, so easily understood, it cut through all the nonsense.' Moore thinks that the relentless criticism does sometimes get to Rowling, 'but she jokes to us about it and she stays amazingly calm online. There's all sorts of stuff she could say to someone like Stephen and she doesn't. It's a relief seeing 'there's a woman who cannot be put in her place'. She's inspirational. I'm confident we can keep fighting back, as long as we have people like Jo fighting with us.'
