10 updates you need to know when travelling to Europe in 2025

IMPORTANT! Travel insurance is compulsory to obtain your Schengen visa

Travelling to Europe in 2025? Wonderful! But beware! Your trip might require a little more preparation than it used to. This year, new regulations and formalities are going to be put in place and some of your travel habits may have to change: implementation of the ETIAS, changes in the Schengen area, border controls, new requirements in countries such as Spain, Greece or the United Kingdom…

Whether you are used to roaming European streets or if this is your first adventure on the so-called Old Continent, you will need to be aware of upcoming or already implemented changes to avoid any mishaps.

Don’t panic! The AXA team has prepared a little guidebook of all you need to know to plan your 2025 trip to Europe.

Bulgaria and Romania become full members of the Schengen area

On January 1st, 2025, Bulgaria and Romania became full members of the Schengen area.

Since March 31st, 2024 both countries had enjoyed a special status as partial members of the Schengen area with sea and air border controls being lifted but land borders still in place. This transitional phase has now come to an end with free movement now in place between these countries and other Schengen states.

Bonus info:

  • Random checks will still be carried out during a 6-month period to deter possible illegal migration flows and potential threats to the security of the Schengen area.
  • Depending on your nationality and your situation, you may still need to apply for a visa for Bulgaria or a visa for Romania.
  • As a precautionary measure, Bulgaria has decided to maintain its land border controls with Romania, at least until June 2025.

Implementation of the Entry Exit System (EES)

The EES (Entry Exit System) is a European IT system meant to automate travellers’ entries and exits from the Schengen area.

After being postponed 4 times, it should progressively come into force in 2025, reaching full implementation everywhere in Europe 6 months after its launch.

What is the purpose of the EES?

Its main goals are to further restrain illegal immigration and to reinforce the safety of the Schengen area while making the border crossing process much smoother.
This system is meant to allow police and legal authorities to be informed at all times of who is on the Schengen territory, when and by which border a person entered the area and when they must leave it.

How does the EES work?

The system relies on the combination of two key elements: automatic control terminals installed at the passage points of the external borders of the Schengen area and connected to a centralised database.

The EES will replace the manual stamping of passports by an electronic registering of the entries, exits and entry refusals of non-EU nationals at the Schengen borders.

Who does the EES apply to?

The information of all travellers from third-countries visiting the Schengen area for less than 3 months will be registered in the EES.

This new system applies to both travellers who need a Schengen visa and nationals of countries which are exempt.

Who doesn’t the EES apply to?

  • Citizens of Schengen countries and the European Union
  • Other types of travellers, specified on the official EU website.

Mid-2025: The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) comes into force

The ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is an electronic travel authorisation, comparable to the American ESTA. Travellers will need to apply for it online and it will be attached to their passport number.
The system will be implemented in 30 European countries: the Schengen states and Cyprus.

When does ETIAS become compulsory?

It is scheduled to be implemented 6 months after the EES, i.e. sometime in 2025, without any precise date yet known.

Who will need to apply for this travel authorisation?

It will be compulsory for nationals of around sixty countries otherwise exempt from visa requirements to enter the Schengen area (for stays lasting up to 90 days over a 180-day period).

Validity and price of an ETIAS travel authorisation

The ETIAS travel authorisation will:

  • remain valid for 3 years or until the passport used for the initial application expires.
  • allow multiple entries in the Schengen area + Cyprus.
  • cost 7 euros.
  • be free of charge for travellers under 18 and over 70.

Reintroduction of internal border controls in the Schengen area

In the last few years, some Schengen states have reintroduced internal border controls, the main purpose being to stop illegal immigration and reinforce internal safety.

The countries which have adopted this measure, at least until mid- 2025, are Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Sweden.

These checks are not systematic and can occur up to a few kilometres from the border.

Before leaving, make sure you check any updates on the website of the European Commission and don’t forget to carry a valid ID document when you travel to Europe.

The UK extends the need for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to more countries

An ETA is an Electronic Travel Authorisation required by the United Kingdom to enter and stay on its territory (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales).

Who must apply for an ETA?

People who used to be able to travel to the United Kingdom without special formalities:

  • European Union nationals
  • Nationals from countries with visa waiver agreements with the UK.

Good to know: Travellers requiring a visa to enter the United Kingdom don’t need to apply for an ETA.

Key dates of ETA implementation

The ETA requirement started in November 2023 and has been extended progressively, per group of countries.

In 2025, this administrative formality will become compulsory for many additional travellers:

  • January 8th, 2025: for travellers from around fifty countries including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia and Japan.
  • April 2nd, 2025: for nationals of all EU countries.

Useful Information

  • Price: £10 (about €12).
  • Validity: 2 years or until the passport used for the application expires.
  • Length of stay authorised: up to 6 months.

→ To find out more, visit the official website of the British government.

Spain: new regulations on personal data collection

If you are planning a trip to Spain in 2025, don’t be surprised if you are asked many and unusual questions when booking your hotel room, rental, organised trip or even a car.

As reported by the EuroNews website, since December 2nd, 2024 a new law (Royal Decree 933/2021) requires that professionals of the tourist industry collect 40 personal pieces of information about their clients.

This number can even reach 60 when it comes to renting a car: personal information (first name, last name, date and place of birth, etc.), passport number, driver’s licence number, phone number, email address, bank and credit card details, family relationship between travellers, travel itinerary, etc.

The goals of this new legislation are to reinforce national security and fight organised crime.

Professionals who do not abide by these rules risk a fine of up to €30, 000.

→ Discover how to apply for your visa for Spain

Greece introduces higher tourist taxes

In Greece, the “climate resilience tax” which replaced the tourist tax in 2024 and applies to all accommodations for tourists, has risen significantly since January 1st, 2025, with different rates still in place, depending on low season (from November to March) or high season (from April to October).

Consequently, during high season, the tax will now cost:

  • 1 or 2-star hotels: €2 per night
  • 3-star hotels: €5 per night
  • 4-star hotels: €10 per night
  • 5-star hotels: €15 per night

For seasonal rentals (houses, resorts, furnished apartments, etc), the tax reaches €8/ a night for a surface area inferior to 80m2 and €15/ a night beyond.

The Greek government has also decided to levy a cruise passenger tax which will vary depending on the island port where visitors disembark and the time of year:

  • €5 per passenger in Athens or Corfu
  • Up to €20 per passenger in Santorini or Mykonos.

Last but not least, Greek authorities have decided to stop delivering new authorisations for short-term rentals in 2025 in three popular districts of Athens’s city centre. (source: EuroNews).

→ Follow our guidelines to apply for a visa for Greece.

Venice (Italy) extends and increases its tourist entry fee

Faced with a major flow of day-trippers, including cruise-ship passengers, Venetian authorities decided in 2024 to introduce a €5 entry fee for visitors on 29 specific days of the year.

Starting April 18th, 2025, this measure will be considerably extended:

  • It will be applied to a greater number of days: 54 days (between mid-March and the end of July)
  • The fee will increase from €5 to €10 for travellers who booked their entry ticket online (on the official website of the town) less than four days before their scheduled visit.

Good to know:

- The access fee remains at €5 for bookings made more than 4 days in advance.

- Residents and travellers staying in Venice overnight are exempt from this fee.

→ Don’t forget to apply for your visa for Italy!

European airports: the 100ml rule for liquids is back

Frequent users of European airports had probably noticed a major change: thanks to new generation screening scanners (EDSCB C3), it had become possible to go through airport security without removing electronic devices, liquid products, aerosols and gels (LAGs). Furthermore, the 100ml limit on liquids no longer applied, making the experience both simpler and faster.

However, since September 1st, 2024, this is no longer the case! Following a technical report questioning the reliability of these scanners - particularly concerning the detection of explosives with contents of over 330 millilitres- the European Commission ordered the suspension of the use of these devices until technical setting solutions guaranteeing total security are found.

In the meantime, airport security has been asked to return to X-ray screening which imposes LAG limitations to 100 ml content as well as removing them from hand luggage.

Air travel: standardised rules in the EU concerning carry-on luggage

In 2023, the European Parliament voted a resolution in favour of uniform standards concerning carry-on luggage. However, this decision being non-binding, airlines have continued to apply their own rules… which differ from one to the other.

In 2024, several airlines modified their carry-on luggage policies, making the situation even more confusing for travellers. Consequently, several national user-led organisations have decided to demand European uniform standards. The European Commission, backed by Parliament, could decide on a set of rules and regulations to impose common standards for all airlines. To be continued… in 2025!

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