Brexit and consequences on UK and Schengen area
What is Brexit?
The name Brexit refers to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
The decision to leave the EU was first taken in 2016 during a referendum when 51,9 of Britain’s voters chose to leave the Union.
The aftermath of such democratic decision was a political turmoil in the UK’s political establishment on the one hand, and a nearly four years long negotiation with European Institutions on the other hand.
Three different British Prime Ministers succeeded each other during the above-mentioned talks that came to an end in early 2020.
When did Brexit come into effect?
Following the end of such much debated consultations the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland eventually and officially withdrew from the European Union at 00:00 CET on February 1st, 2020.
Ever since it took place Brexit had sizeable effects affecting both major political and economic sceneries and also causing a concrete disruption in the everyday life of many common citizens especially on the Northern side of the Channel.
The number of actual consequences and changes brought by Brexit is likely to be countless.
In the following paragraphs a non-exhaustive list will be drafted on some of the most notable changes that Brexit brought and will bring in the near future on the sole aspect of people’s freedom of movement.
Consequences after Brexit
The Brexit Withdrawal Agreement defined and new landscape for the UK and EU’s relationship. This also includes the rules for movement of individuals between Britain and EU countries.
One of the first repercussions on European visitors to UK came in October 2021 when the decision not to accept EU’s I.D. anymore became effective de facto demanding all future European visitors to the Kingdom to hold a valid passport which, in many cases, is not as easy, immediate or inexpensive as obtaining one’s National Identity Card.
On such aspect the obligation to travel with a passport is likely to just be the tip of the iceberg since both EU and UK are on the verge of launching a mandatory electronic Visa Waiver program that will involve travelers from the opposite side of the English Channel.
Little has been established on the British side since the UK’s Government has proposed, in 2019, a US-style visa waiver system for EU citizens after Brexit has been completed. The new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system announced by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel would require EU visitors to apply for an electronic visa waiver prior to entry into the UK.
Since such announcement no further update on the matter has been published by any British official source.
On the EU side, on the other hand, the new electronic Visa Waiver dedicated to visitors from UK and from 59 more Nation, has already been confirmed as becoming mandatory from late 2023.
The European Union’s Visa Waiver will be named ETIAS.
More on ETIAS for UK citizens
EU’s new Visa Waiver, named ETIAS, will be required to short term visitors holding a British Passport so as to travel to a total of 34 European Countries.
These include the following 22 EU and Schengen Area Member Nations: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden;
The list of ETIAS destinations also includes 4 non-EU member states, and 3 micro-states, that are either members or de-facto members of the Schengen Area: Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, as well as Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City.
Additionally, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia and Romania, that are currently going through the process of becoming Schengen member countries, will also be part of the ETIAS protocol.
The Visa Waiver will be required for tourism and business-based travels and for all those other short-term visits that do not fall in the category for which a Consular Visa is required such as, for instance, employment or long-term study.
In order to request for an ETIAS visa waiver, candidates will need to apply online by filling out an electronic form where to report their identifying information, their passport data, their scheduled travel plans and, finally, paying a tax.
Other requirements to UK visitors after Brexit
In addition to obtaining an ETIAS travel authorization, UK citizens will be subject to further requirements when visiting Europe from November 2023. The main changes will be in the following matters:
- Passport validity
- Driving in EU countries
- Visiting to EU countries with a pet
- Coverage for medical care
- Mobile roaming charges
Passport validity
Under pre-Brexit travel provisions UK citizens, being also EU citizens, where allowed to visit EU and Schengen Area countries by just holding a valid passport. With Brexit this situation has changed since UK passport holders are now required to hold a document complying with the following standards:
. issued within the last 10 years
. must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the date on which the visitor intends to leave the Schengen/EU Area
Visitors will be required to renew their passport if any of the abovementioned conditions are not met.
Driving in the EU
Driving license
British driving licenses where fully recognized in United Europe until the withdrawal procedure began.
Now there are some cases where UK drivers visiting specific European states will need an International Driving Permit since their British license would not be valid.
This could happen in particular for those who:
. hold a paper driving license
. possess a license that was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man
License plate
Those willing to take their own UK registered vehicle in the EU now also have to display, in most cases, an identification sticker.
If the license plate number includes the UK identifier with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack), no UK sticker is needed unless when driving in Spain, Cyprus or Malta where the sticker is always necessary.
UK sticker will be universally required across Europe if the number plate carries any of the following:
- a GB identifier with the Union flag
- a Euro symbol
- a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
- numbers and letters only – without any flag or identifier
No UK sticker is ever required to drive an UK registered vehicle in the Republic of Ireland by virtue of the Common Travel Area agreements.
Vehicle insurance
The dreaded obligation to hold an insurance green card was averted since British vehicle insurance will still be valid to drive in Europe.
Health insurance for visitors
Until recently UK visitors to Europe and European visitors to the UK where all covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) that allowed them to receive medical treatments from public facilities in any country of the EU.
With UK withdrawal from the EU the EHIC has ceased its validity for all UK citizens and residents.
European visitors to the United Kingdom can still use their EHIC but only in case of a proven undelayable emergency.
As a consequence, visitors from both sides are now strongly recommended to hold a private health insurance valid throughout their stay on the opposite side of the Channel.
Travelling with pets
Before taking their company or assistance pet to the EU for the first time after 1 January 2021, UK pet owners will be required to take the following steps:
- Make sure their pet is microchipped.
- Ensure that their pet is vaccinated against rabies – pets must be at least 12 weeks old before they can be vaccinated.
- Wait 21 days after the primary vaccination before travel
- Dogs must be treated against tapeworm from 24 to 120 hours before landing, if they are travelling to a tapeworm free country.
- Visit their vet to get an animal health certificate (AHC) for their pet, no more than 10 days before travel to the EU. (Substitutes the Pet Passport requirement)
Pets and assistance dogs will also need to enter the EU through a travelers’ point of entry (TPE), which includes all the major French ports such as Calais, Caen and Dunkirk.
Mobile roaming charges
The EU ban on roaming charges does not apply anymore to British visitor to Europe, and vice versa, since January 1st 2022.
Travelers are recommended to check in advance roaming charges with their phone operator.
Other changes
Declaring cash of over £10,000 (€11,000 approximately) or the equivalent in any other currency, taken between the UK and EU countries has now become mandatory.
Additionally, business travelers will be subject to the need of making a customs declaration to take goods abroad if such goods are to be sold or to be used for business purposes.