British tourists could be hit with higher entry fees into the EU as part of a scheme to bolster the bloc’s tax revenues. The EU is mulling over the idea of taxing foreign visitors to help repay a portion of the €350 billion (£300 billion) common debt, which was taken on to fund its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. This potential new levy could particularly impact British tourists who are already grappling with longer passport queues and increased restrictions to enter Europe due to Brexit.
The move could also hinder the recent easing of post-Brexit tensions between London and Brussels, which has seen the EU offer smoother passport controls and less bureaucracy for British travellers. However, increasing the EU’s entry fee above the currently proposed €7 (£6) fee, part of the bloc’s new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), is emerging as one of the top options, POLITICO reports.
The idea was endorsed by EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič earlier this week.
ETIAS is set to apply to 60 countries that have visa-free agreements with the EU, including the US and UK, from the last quarter of 2026 onward. Any further increase in the fee would similarly apply to the same group of countries.
“It seems that there is a possibility of a gradual increase of the fee, strengthening the long-term revenue potential,” stated an internal note from the Polish rotating Council presidency seen by POLITICO.
A Commission spokesperson told the oulet that “a possible adjustment of the fee” is being considered. The rise in inflation since the €7 levy was adopted in 2018 is being considered.
While the idea is politically an easy sell, it would likely generate less than a €1 billion (£856m) per year, compared to the EU’s annual debt repayments of €25 billion (£21bn) to €30 billion (£26bn) that will start in 2028.
Another popular option being floated to raise revenue involves levying a €2 (£1.70) fee on billions of imported small parcels from Chinese retailers such as Shein and Temu.