Written by Peter Harrison

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March 20, 2017

On June 23rd 2016 Britain voted to leave the European Union and whether you voted remain or leave, you're probably wondering how the imminent triggering of Article 50 might affect travel in Europe. We've put together this no-nonsense guide to current EU travel regulations and where to go to experience the best European holidays.

What happens after the government passes Article 50?

The Article 50 process will take place across 2 years and until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. If Article 50 is triggered by the end of March 2017, as currently scheduled, then Britain should officially leave the EU no later than April 2019.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has confirmed:

British nationals can continue to travel freely within the EU using a UK passport
There will continue to be no visa requirements for British nationals entering another EU country
British nationals can continue to access healthcare during temporary visits to EU countries using the European Health Insurance Card
What are the rules on travelling in the European Union as a UK citizen?

At the moment, the border-free Schengen Zone in mainland Europe means that it's possible for EU citizens to travel, live and work freely in some - not all - European Union countries, without a visa or passport. In addition, EU nationals are entitled to free emergency healthcare in all EU countries, as long as you carry the (free) European Health Insurance Card.

Following the results of the EU referendum, no changes have been announced to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) service. The NHS Business Services Authority is continuing to provide the EHIC service as usual, and you can apply for and use your card as before.

It's still advisable to have some form of ID (such as a driving license or passport) on you when travelling in Europe, as you may be asked to verify your identity at border checkpoints or by police, for security reasons.

How would Brexit affect travelling to Europe?

No one knows at the moment, as deals would have to be negotiated with different countries in and outside of the EU. Former PM David Cameron suggested that exiting would increase the cost of holidays, however, this is open to debate. It has also been suggested that the UK might retain its access to the free aviation market by negotiating participation in the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA), an agreement which allows Norway, Iceland, Croatia and other states equal access.

Will flights to Europe cost more post-Brexit?

Right now it’s impossible to predict the change in air fares. Whilst there is speculation that air fares may increase there are a number of factors that can contribute to a change in air fares, such as the price of oil, changes in currency and competition, not to mention demand.

Thanks to open skies, EU airlines have been free to fly between any two points in Europe since 1994. This has caused air fares to become more affordable. Part of the ongoing Article 50 negotiations will be to try and keep these skies open, no doubt.

Will British citizens need new passports?

As it stands, British nationals will be able to continue to travel freely within the EU using their existing UK passports which state ‘European Union’ on the cover. This may change as negotiations progress and there has been speculation around bringing back the original navy blue passports (which were switched to burgundy in 1988), but for now you are free to continue travelling with your current passport.