London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Britons could be barred from EU entry on 1 January

Britons could be barred from EU entry on 1 January

UK travellers could be barred from entering the EU from 1 January as travel rules associated with being part of the EU expire and pandemic restrictions block entry.

Unrestricted travel to countries within the bloc will no longer automatically apply to UK residents from then.

This means entry into the EU would then be based on essential travel only.

Currently only countries with low coronavirus infection rates qualify for non-essential travel.

There are only eight countries with low Covid rates that are on the approved list for free travel and there are currently no plans to add the UK to that list.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC's Today programme that Covid restrictions would depend on what the EU and its member states decide.

He added that "restrictions on travel, inevitably, is going to be something that's kept under review".

With talks about a trade deal between the UK and the EU still continuing, there is a possibility this could change.

Alternatively, individual member state countries could decide to override the EU rules and create a corridor with the UK.

'Cool heads'


At the moment, the UK is considered to have the same status by the EU as countries such as Norway and Switzerland, which are members of the European Free Trade Association, travel expert Simon Calder told the BBC.

Mr Calder said that many regions dependent on tourism, such as the Canary Islands, may well make an exemption for British tourists, "but there's no obligation to at the moment".

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy the PC Agency, agreed, saying: "Cool heads need to prevail at this politically difficult time as travel and tourism is such a key contributor to economic growth in Europe.

"I'm sure that individual countries who need UK tourism will be sensible and override any EU-bloc decision which prevents entry. It is so important now for countries to work together globally to create a consistent approach."

A spokesperson for airline EasyJet said: "There is no EU blanket law which requires individual states to limit entry from those arriving from outside the EU and so just as they do today, we expect individual European countries to continue to apply their own rules."

British Airways declined to comment.

Analysis:

By Simon Browning, BBC business reporter



It might come as a big surprise that UK travellers could be barred from entering the EU after 31 December. Remember - Europe is our top holiday destination with more of us going to Spain than any other country.

But with infection rates still rising, countries have to do what they can to protect themselves and now we're out of the EU, we have to follow new rules.

Travel corridors, set up in the summer to help travellers bypass quarantine with countries with low infection rates, could come back.

They've operated between individual EU countries like Spain, France and Italy before, and could return so individual countries can welcome lucrative UK holidaymakers to spend their pounds in hotels, bars and restaurants.

But for now, yes, we could be barred. However, this scenario could also be negotiated away as part of the talks that go on until Sunday.

'Hugely important'


A spokesman for ABTA, the travel industry trade body, said: "The EU has sought to adopt a common approach to travel restrictions, but this is only a recommendation and individual countries are able to implement their own measures, including options like travel corridors and testing."

"It is too early to say what restrictions might be in place on 1 January given the uncertain nature of the pandemic, but we know that UK travellers are hugely important to a number of EU destinations, including some winter sun favourites like the Canary Islands and Madeira."

A spokesman for Airlines UK said: "We expect EU member states that gain enormously from the tourism and air travel from the UK, and the billions of pounds it generates, to continue to apply their own rules, in order to provide certainty to consumers and families looking to travel to the EU from January onwards."

Norway, which is part of the EU travel arrangement, said British citizens who do not live in the country will be barred from entering the country from 1 January, the Financial Times newspaper reported.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×