Drivers must remove GB car stickers when in Europe under Brexit travel changes

Travellers to and from the UK face important adjustments this week due to post-Brexit strikes by the federal government.

British motorists heading for Continental Europe should “cowl or take away” the normal GB sticker, and as a substitute use both a UK sticker or have a UK “signifier” on their quantity plates.

The requirement – requested by UK ministers – contradicts the federal government’s assertion in January that “UK drivers gained’t have to show a GB sticker in most EU international locations if their quantity plate has GB or GB with a Union Flag on it”.

On the time the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, mentioned: “Those that need to drive within the EU can proceed to take action with ease.”

Now the federal government says: “You have to to show a UK sticker clearly on the rear of your automobile in case your quantity plate has any of the next: a GB identifier with the Union flag; a Euro image; a nationwide flag of England, Scotland or Wales; numbers and letters solely – no flag or identifier.

“When you have a GB sticker, cowl or take away it earlier than driving exterior the UK.”

In June, the UK government applied to the United Nations for the change to be made beneath the 1968 Vienna Conference on Street Visitors.

A Division for Transport spokesperson mentioned: “Altering the nationwide identifier from GB to UK symbolises our unity as a nation and is a part of a wider transfer in direction of utilizing the UK signifier throughout authorities.”

In Spain, Cyprus or Malta, a UK sticker is now obligatory whatever the quantity plates.

British drivers in Eire needn’t show a nationwide signifier.

For Europeans hoping to journey to Britain, a Brexit promise to finish the proper for EU residents to make use of their nationwide identification playing cards to journey to the UK additionally takes impact from Friday, 1 October.

In a speech on her “New Plan for Immigration” in Could 2021, the house secretary, Priti Patel, mentioned: “This yr, we’ll finish using insecure ID playing cards for folks to enter our nation.”

Up to now, some European Union nations have issued laminated identification playing cards that have been comparatively straightforward to forge or tamper with.

However since August 2021 all new ID playing cards issued by EU international locations should observe a standard sample. They’ll adjust to the very best safety requirements, as prescribed by the UN International Civil Aviation Organisation, which requires them to be machine readable and to comprise a microchip with the holder’s particulars.

EU residents – and people of the broader European Financial Space plus Switzerland – can journey to all European international locations besides the UK on their nationwide identification playing cards.

As well as residents of some EU nations, together with France, Germany, Italy and Portugal, can use ID playing cards to go to Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey.

The UK authorities is closing the border to an estimated 250 million residents in Europe who’ve nationwide identification playing cards however not passports.

The transfer comes after the UK was revealed as the most important European nation with the best collapse in inbound tourism. In July and August 2021, simply 14 per cent of the customer numbers for the corresponding months in 2019 arrived.

Joss Croft, chief executive of the industry body, UKinbound, mentioned: “Pre-pandemic the UK’s inbound tourism business was the jewel in our crown.

“At the moment the business sits in tatters, determined to rebuild however dealing with barrier upon barrier because it tries to get well.”

Eire points a “passport card” however not a nationwide identification card. Irish residents are usually not required to hold passports between the republic and the UK, although some airways demand them.