EU promises visa-free holidays for Britons in Europe
Britons will not need visas for short trips to the EU, even if the country crashes out of the Union with no deal, the European Commission has said, as long as the UK allows visa-free travel for EU nationals.
Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans said the EU is proposing that Britons would be exempt from requiring visas for trips of up to 90 days within any 180-day period, but it would require a reciprocal deal for EU nationals.
Nationals from 56 countries outside the EU are already allowed to visit the UK for up to six months without visas, but they aren’t allowed to work, study or remain permanently in the country.
Speaking at a press conference in Strasbourg, Timmermans said: "We propose to amend the visa regulation to allow UK nationals to be exempt from any visa requirement for short stays in the EU once EU law stops applying to the UK."
The measure would need to be approved by the European Parliament and EU member states to take effect.
The EU Commission said that if no deal is reached, this arrangement would start from March 30, and if a deal is agreed, it would begin from the end of any transition period, which is currently scheduled to be from the end of 2020.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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