A program that aims to increase the number of French students visiting Britain for school trips is facing challenges due to changes in entry requirements in the UK. New rules were implemented last December to allow French students to travel to Britain using national identity cards and for their non-EU classmates to enter without a visa. This initiative was put in place to address the decrease in school trips after Brexit. However, the implementation of the UK’s new electronic travel authorization (ETA) scheme, set to begin on April 2, 2025, poses a threat to the program as it will require all EU visitors to register before traveling, necessitating children to have passports.
The Financial Times reported that the scheme is at risk, with concerns raised by Valérie Boned, the president of Les Entreprises du Voyage, the main trade body for travel agencies in France. In a letter to the UK Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, Boned inquired about the future of the program for French school groups but has not received a response from the Home Office. The uncertainty surrounding the situation could potentially impact the number of school trips planned for 2025.
Since its introduction, the program has resulted in a 30% increase in school trips to the UK from France, although it is still 60% below the levels seen in 2019. French government officials have expressed concerns to the UK government about how the ETA program will affect school trips.
The Labour government has promised to reset relations with the EU, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer facing pressure from Brussels to consider a youth mobility scheme. This scheme would enable young people from the EU to live and work in the UK for a specific period, and vice versa. Despite having similar agreements with countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, Starmer has rejected the idea of implementing such a measure.
In conclusion, the program to increase French school trips to Britain faces uncertainty due to the upcoming changes in entry requirements. The lack of clarity surrounding the situation poses a potential threat to the number of school trips planned for the upcoming years. Additionally, the UK government’s stance on youth mobility schemes with the EU remains a point of contention, despite pressure from Brussels.
