UK's ETA Requirement Jeopardise French School Trip Program | IaM (Immigration and Migration)

Name: UK's ETA Requirement Jeopardise French School Trip Program | IaM
Uploaded: 2024-10-28T16:00:00+00:00
Description: French school trips to the UK may face cancellations as new post-Brexit entry requirements threaten an

UK’s ETA Requirement Jeopardise French School Trip Program

French school trips to the UK may face cancellations as new post-Brexit entry requirements threaten an agreement that aims to simplify visits for French students, industry experts warn.

Post-Brexit immigration rules have led to a sharp drop in EU school trips to the UK, with many groups now opting for English-language courses in Malta and Ireland to avoid passport requirements.

In December 2023, a streamlined process was created for French schoolchildren following discussions between French President Emmanuel Macron and then UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The goal was to counteract the decline in school visits caused by Brexit by allowing French children to enter the UK with their national ID cards, while their non-EU classmates could join without needing visas. This initiative was expected to help schools cut down on costly, time-consuming passport and visa requirements.

However, this scheme may now be jeopardised by the UK's upcoming Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, set to start on April 2, 2025.

The ETA policy will require all EU visitors, including French students, to pre-register before arriving in the UK, which requires a passport. This condition clashes with the original scheme's purpose of allowing travel without passports.

In a similar move, the EU will also introduce the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) for UK travellers entering Europe next year.

On October 8, Valérie Boned, President of France’s travel agency association, Les Entreprises du Voyage, wrote to UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper requesting confirmation on the status of the French school trip scheme. The group reported no response from the UK Home Office as of last week and expressed the need for immediate clarity as schools begin booking trips for spring 2025. “The sooner we clarify this issue, the less it will impact the number of school trips planned for 2025,” Boned stated in her letter, which was obtained by the Financial Times.

While UK Home Office officials confirmed that the impact of the ETA system on the school trip scheme is “under review,” they declined to share further information. Meanwhile, French officials have also voiced their concerns, emphasising that the scheme had strengthened UK-France ties and saying they are working with UK counterparts to keep the scheme fully operational.

For decades, school trips to the UK have been a popular tradition for French schools, with travel companies estimating they contribute around £100 million annually to the UK economy. Without the streamlined travel agreement, the UK stands to lose this significant source of income.

EU – UK Youth Mobility Plans

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing increasing pressure over UK-EU relations as the Labour government aims to “reset” ties with the EU.

One of their key priorities is creating a smoother youth mobility program that would allow young people to work in the UK for fixed periods. Although the UK has similar agreements with countries like Australia and Canada, Starmer has so far resisted implementing such initiatives with the EU.

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