Dreaded EU travel rules for Brit holidaymakers have been scrapped until 2024

BRITS heading to Europe on holiday this summer have been given a welcome boost after new rules have been postponed.

A new visa waiver called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) was due to be introduced this year.

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However, this has been pushed back to 2024, with no official date confirmed.

Similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) required to visit the US, anyone between the ages of 18 and 70 will need an ETIAS.

The new scheme was announced after the UK left the EU and was meant to launch in 2021.

However, it was then delayed to November 2023 – and has since been postponed again to next year.

The official website states: “Starting from 2024, some 1.4 billion people from over 60 visa-exempt countries are required to have a travel authorisation to enter most European countries.”

When enforced, the ETIAS visa will cost €7 (£6.10) and lasts for three years or until your passport expires.

Spain’s tourist leaders warned they faced losing millions of Brits due to the new ETIAS.

The General Assembly of the Bureau said in a statement: “The Board is especially concerned about the impact of this tax on British tourism, our main issuing market with 18 million arrivals in 2019.

Juan Molas, president of the Mesa de Turismo added it was a: “potential threats to the competitiveness of the Spanish tourism sector”.

The ETIAS isn’t the only change for Brits heading to EU countries.

The new European Union Entry and Exit System (EES) system has also been delayed, and now plans to be rolled out by the end of this year.

This will replace the need to stamp passports, which is required for UK passengers in Europe since Brexit.

The new digital system will check the person’s name, biometric data and the date and place of entry and exit, and will replace the stamping of passports and instead scan the documents.

But experts have already warned the new rules will cause chaos at the borders unless new infrastructure is introduced.

Officials for the Eurotunnel, Eurostar and ferry services at Dover have warned it could cause huge queues and delays, which have already been seen at Dover last summer.

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