British holidaymakers travelling to Europe will need to apply for a €7 (£5.97) visa waiver from next summer, EU officials have confirmed.
Ylva Johansson, the EU home affairs commissioner, said the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) was on course to be launched in spring.
It means nationals of 60 countries, including Brits, will need to apply for a visa waiver, similar to the US Esta, before travelling to the bloc.
It will last three years, or until a traveller’s passport expires. It will hit Brits travelling to popular holiday destinations, including France, Spain and Portugal.
In addition, the EU is set to launch its Entry/Exit System (EES) on November 10, an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals each time they cross the external borders of an EU country.
The system will replace the current manual passport stamping and will register the traveller’s name, type of travel document, and biometric data.
Ms Johansson told staff working on the EES programme: “After intense dialogues with member states, with you, with the different stakeholders — I have decided that the EES will enter into operations on November 10.”
She confirmed that the ETIAS is due to launch six months later.
It means it could come into effect before the May half-term next year and will most likely be in place for the summer holidays.
The two changes are designed to make the bloc’s border more secure in the face of terrorist threats, said Ms Johansson.
She told staff: “700 million people will be affected by your work. Because last year more than 700 million tourists travelled to Europe. And 450 million Europeans will sleep safer thanks to your work.”
The EU Commission states that most ETIAS applications will be approved “within minutes”.
But in some cases it could take up to 30 days - raising the prospect of Brits being caught unaware by the rule change.
When the scheme is in effect, travellers will be advised to apply for the waiver before buying plane tickets or booking accommodation.
