Dear AAA Members and Fellow Travelers,
Last week, the European Union Commission passed a resolution calling for an end to U.S. citizens’ ability to travel to Europe without a visa. This was in response to the U.S. not providing visa-free incoming access to citizens of five EU countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania).
I’d like to clarify what actually transpired, and also clarify what that means for travel to Europe in general.
This “resolution” (which is basically a request) is largely ceremonial, is nonbinding and unlikely to change EU policy. There are no immediate changes to visa or other travel requirements pertaining to American citizens traveling to Europe at this time. Even if a sincere push were to be made to change visa requirements for Americans traveling to Europe, it is highly unlikely to be ratified by the major European powers who receive tremendous economic benefit from US travelers (e.g. Spain, Italy, France, Germany). The process to enact such a requirement (which all EU countries would have to officially ratify) is a process that could take years.
Simply stated, no visa requirement has been added for U.S. citizens traveling to Europe, and I don’t expect that it will happen anytime soon.
Lastly, in a recent blog post I shared with you why I believe there is no better time to visit Europe. With demand at an all-time high and with deals that can make travel more affordable than what’s been available for quite some time, anyone who has wanted to go to Europe should seriously consider traveling this year.
For any additional questions, advice or information, do not hesitate to reach out to our professional travel agents online or by calling 866-581-1209.
Joe Maloney
Vice President, Travel
AAA Colorado
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