Five years after the UK left the EU, mobility remains possible but less frictionless. New border routines, document checks, and incoming digital authorisation systems are reshaping how people move between Britain and Europe.
Australian travellers are facing new pre-travel requirements for both the United States and Europe. The US Global Entry programme and the EU's ETIAS both require advance authorisation before crossing their respective borders.
Airports can lower EES-related delays by combining technology with practical queue management. A coordinated plan across staffing, terminal design, and passenger messaging is central to resilient border operations.
IATA has publicly opposed the UK's plan to raise the ETA fee by 60% only days after the system's wider introduction. The group says the move clashes with tourism growth goals and adds another cost on top of existing air travel taxes.
ABTA's updated consumer guidance recasts Europe travel as a preparation issue rather than a last-minute border surprise. Its message is that travellers should understand the phased EES rollout now, while remembering that ETIAS is not yet open for applications.
ABTA's passports-and-visas page is broad rather than event-led. It works best as an early travel checklist, covering passport validity, visa checks, renewal timing and a separate warning for some British and Irish dual nationals returning to the UK.
ABTA's opening assessment for 2026 argues that travel businesses are entering the year with a crowded policy and operational agenda. Its five-priority list ranges from border systems and pricing rules to artificial intelligence, youth mobility and accessibility.
ABTA presented EES and ETIAS as changes that travel businesses needed to explain well before implementation. Its guidance model combined a member hub, a consumer advice page and regular updates as more official detail became available.
ABTA's Brexit guidance treats travel to the EU as manageable, but more procedural than before. The page pulls together the core checks that now matter most, from passport validity and 90-day limits to insurance, border controls and trip-specific paperwork.
The EU’s Working Party on JHA Information Exchange (IXIM) helps shape how member states manage, share and improve information in the fields of justice and home affairs. Its work supports interoperability, legislative coordination and the effective use of major EU information systems.