Ease of travel in the EU - harder than it used to be?

Question

I keep seeing people say that joining the EU has made travel easier.

This is not true.

A UK citizen now needs a full passport to travel from the UK to europe - these are very, very expensive, require masses of paperwork, take a long time to be processed etc...

In the past (less than 10 years ago?), we had 'British Visitors Passports' which you could get at the local post office, they were cheap and were valid for 2(?) years and were valid for most of europe and some commonweath countries.

Also there used to be special ID cards that you could get for short/day trips to france (often used for school trips), didn't need much more than a photo - issued at the port on day of travel.

This has all gone, and the EU are responsible - why do people keep pedaling this lie of 'easier travel' - are they just making it up as they go?

Answer 1

Enhanced freedom . It's an illusion with smoke and mirrors

Answer 2

i did not buy the lie either.  it has cost me more to do anything in the EUseless travel is at the top of the list.

the EUseless is now and always was and will be based on lies and deceit  for the Gian of power

Answer 3

Most EU countries (but not the UK) have joined the Schengen agreement. This allows you to travel from Finland to Portugal, from Iceland to Greece, from Lapland to Malta, without a passport. If you get on a plane from Paris to Porto you will never pass passport control.

However, travel didn't get easier in the UK because the UK 'opted-out' of Schengen.

Soon it is to get harder yet - because the Schengen zone will soon ask for Advance Passenger Information, just as the US and Australia do.

The solution is for the UK to join Schengen. You can then leave your passport at home.

- PP, you're not right. How can the Schengen plan, which equals scrapping passports altogether, mean "more and more". Its less passports, less interference.

In 2009 the UK gov plans to demand passports for travel internal to the UK. You'll need a passport to travel between Britain and Northern Ireland, and you'll need to apply for permission from the government before hand to make the journey. If the UK joined Schengen this fascist nonsense wouldn't be permitted.

Joining Schengen means scrapping passports. That is less interference, not more.