'Disproportionate': European tourism chiefs blast ETIAS fee hike

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), expected to become operational in late 2026, will require visa-exempt non-EU travellers to obtain an online authorisation and pay the related fee before entering the 29-country EU/Schengen area.

Travel and tourism groups however expressed “deep concern” at the proposed hike and called on the European Parliament and European Council, which will have to endorse it, to reject the proposed fee hike from €7 to €20.

They also called for an impact assessment to justify the costs and adopt a “more proportionate, evidence-based” fee.

“While the fee may represent a small fraction of overall travel expenses, the cumulative impact on families is not negligible, not least given the broader context of increasing overnight taxes,” the groups said in a joint statement.

The signatories of the statement include Airlines for Europe, the European Regions Airline Association, the European Tourism Association, the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association, the European Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés, and the European Federation of Rural Tourism (RURALTOUR) among others.

The groups say that the increase “appears disproportionate” and “lacks transparency”. They also say the EU Commission should publish “a detailed cost breakdown” and specify whether alternative pricing models, such as €10 or €12, were considered.

The Commission said on Friday that the ETIAS system is expected to become operational in the last quarter of 2026 and explained the fee increase with “the rise in inflation since 2018… additional operational costs related e.g. to new technical features integrated into the system,” and the intention to bring the fee “in line with similar travel authorisation programmes”, such as the UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which charge £16 (€18.4) and $21 (€17.8) respectively.

The travel and tourism industry however argued that the Commission's decision to reference similar travel authorisation schemes, “sets a concerning precedent”.

“Fee decisions should reflect the actual operational needs of the EU system and be fully justified. They should not aim to align with unrelated schemes without a clear rationale and legal basis,” the statement said.

The groups also add that “any surplus revenue collected through ETIAS, after covering its official costs, should be assigned to a specific budget line, or ideally earmarked for the travel and tourism sector” within the EU budget, including to support tourism infrastructure, staff training and sustainable development initiatives.

The ETIAS is the second part of the EU's new border control measures and will follow the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which is set to begin its phased roll out on October 12th 2025 after several delays.