Bringing food and drink into Spain - Following the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic within the EU, the Commission considered that the mechanisms in place to prevent the introduction of personal consignments of meat, milk or their products should be strengthened across the EU.
Entry Requirements into Spain with a British Passport.
Personal imports
Personal goods containing meat, milk or their products brought into the EU continue to present a real threat to animal health throughout the Union. It is known, for example, that dangerous pathogens that cause animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease and classical swine fever can reside in meat, milk or their products. Therefore, pathogens could be introduced into the EU if personal goods containing meat, milk or their products are sent by post or carried in the baggage of travellers arriving from countries outside the EU, where such pathogens may be circulating.
Legislation
The current rules are laid down in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2122, which repeals and replaces the previously applicable Commission Regulation (EC) No 206/2009. This Regulation clearly explains to the general public the rules concerning the introduction of animal products into the EU. Namely:
Bringing food and drink into Spain - Official guidance
Enforcing the rules governing the introduction of personal consignments of meat, milk or their products is vital. Provisions include:
Background
Following the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic within the EU, the Commission considered that the mechanisms in place to prevent the introduction of personal consignments of meat, milk or their products should be strengthened across the EU.
First of all, the EU put an end to the temporary exemptions that had previously allowed personal consignments of meat, milk or their products to be carried into the EU without veterinary certification. These safeguard rules were laid down in Commission Decision 2002/995/EC. For more information, please refer to the following press releases:
The information above is supplied by the European Commission.
Most large, respectable package holiday companies advertise their holidays as ABTA and/or ATOL protected, but what is the difference? Find out exactly what they cover here.
ABTA stands for Association of British Travel Agents
ABTA is a voluntary scheme that travel firms can choose to sign up to., it was founded in 1950 and covers package holidays that do NOT include a flight. So if your trip includes travel by road, sea or train, that is where ABTA steps in.
In addition to offering financial protection, ABTA members have to comply with the ABTA code of conduct. Booking with an ABTA member also provides help should there be a problem or complaint with the travel company.
What is covered?
All package holidays sold by ABTA members are financially protected if the company goes out of business. This means:
If you have not yet travelled, you can claim a refund for the holiday
If you’re already on holiday when the company goes bust, you can continue with your holiday as planned or, if you have to return early because of the company failure, you can claim for the parts of the holiday you missed.
What might not be covered?
Short trips: ABTA state, package holidays that are for less than 24 hours, or are for business travel, may not be protected.
Flight-only and accommodation only bookings: Although there's no legal requirement for ABTA members to reimburse you if something goes wrong, some travel operators will, so check what protection is in place before you buy.
What is not covered?
Package holidays including a flight: These are covered by ATOL
Check if a tour operator holds a valid ABTA license HERE
ATOL stands for Air Travel Organiser's Licence
ATOL covers you before and during your holiday, it protects you against losing money or becoming stranded abroad if the travel company you booked with goes bust. It is run by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
What does it cover?
If a package holiday company goes bust during your trip, ATOL protection will help you to continue your trip by:
Ensuring you can stay in your holiday accommodation, if possible
Reimbursing you for any money you spent to replace ATOL protected parts of your trip, e.g car hire, transfers
Arranging flights home, depending on the circumstances.
What's not always covered?
Some flight-only bookings: Your travel company should make it clear if your flight-only booking is ATOL protected before you book. If you book an ATOL protected flight, you will be sent an ATOL Certificate after making a payment. However, you will not receive a valid e-ticket in exchange for payment. If you purchase an airline ticket from an airline or travel company and you receive a valid e-ticket in exchange for payment, the ATOL scheme does not cover this.
Booking with a travel agent: Travel agents often sell trips on behalf of other companies. You should check which travel company originally created your package trip and check if they themselves are a member of ATOL.
What's never covered?
Accommodation-only bookings: Accommodation-only bookings are not ATOL protected as these do not include a flight.
Flight-only bookings: ATOL does not pay out for cancelled flights alone, only for airline travel as part of a package holiday.
Remember, if you booked your flight and hotel separately, you will NOT be covered as ATOL covers package holidays only.
Check if a company holds an ATOL license HERE.
Paying for your holiday by Credit Card
You can get extra protection if you book travel or accommodation using a credit card, as Section 75 protection means your credit card firm can pay out for cancellations in certain circumstances, although this only works on amounts between £100 and £30,000, and the cancellation is in no way your fault.
Do you still need travel insurance - YES
ATOL and ABTA are not substitutes for travel insurance because they only provide cover if your travel company goes bust.
They do not cover medical bills, holiday cancellations, travel delays, lost or stolen baggage or any out-of-pocket expenses unless they were directly caused by your travel company going bust.
For peace of mind, you should always make sure you have adequate travel insurance whenever you travel and have your EHIC/GHIC card with you, if travelling in Europe.
All inclusive drink restrictions, update July 2022 - The efforts of the government of Mallorca to end alcohol driven tourism have been well publicised. They are trying to change the image of some places where the worst problems occur, by outlawing certain practices that encourage excessive drinking for example. So far in less than two months 90 legal proceedings have been started for fines against bars and businesses that are failing to observe the new rules, and 8 establishments have been closed for serious breaches. Councillor for tourism Lago Negueruela, commented that "Although we are still seeing undesirable images, changes to a tourism model that has been prevalent here for decades are not going to change in just a few months, it will take time, but we are on the right track, we have had enough of this type of tourism".
Photo - English fans in Magaluf MANU MIELNIEZUK diariodemallorca
All inclusive drink restrictions. May 2022 - Confusion has been caused in the Spanish press over claims in the UK tabloids that "Spain has a new law that is limiting people to six drinks a day on all inclusive holidays".....The truth is that the law is not new, these rules have been in force since 2020 and only apply to certain areas of the Balearic Islands (see below)
These rules DO NOT apply to mainland Spain and therefore Benidorm is NOT affected.
The Balearics introduced all inclusive drinking limits of six drinks per day (three at lunch and three at dinner), but these rules do not apply right across the Islands and do not only apply to UK tourists. but all nationalities.
These rules are designed to target unruly holidaymakers, they are focused on the areas that typically experience antisocial behaviour.
The law against drunken tourism has caused great discomfort among many tourists who arrive at hotels in the Balearic Islands on an all-inclusive basis. Most of them say they were unaware of the existence of the regulations.
These are the affected regions:
Majorca - Magaluf, El Arenal, Playa de Palma
Ibiza - Sant Antoni
In designated areas of the resorts of San Antonio, Magaluf and Playa de Palma there are prohibitions on happy hours, open bars (such as all you can drink in 1-hour offers), the sale of alcohol from vending machines, self-service alcohol dispensers and the organising of pub-crawls and party boat trips. The law also prohibits “off-licence” sales between 9:30pm and 8am.
Last January Easyjet and many other companies warned all its potential customers who planned to book their holidays in the Balearics of the new limitations that were going to be encountered.
The story was picked up by the UK press when a 42-year-old tourist in a hotel in one of the areas affected by the regulations in Mallorca. The tourist claims his £240 all-inclusive trip "has been ruined" by alcohol's limitation to six alcoholic beverages per day. Jason Walker stated he felt "angry" and "upset" after discovering there were restrictions on his free drink voucher after landing on the island for a three-night birthday trip. "We only found out when we checked in and didn't budget as much money for this trip because we thought all our food and drink would be covered," Walker says in the British newspaper. "I understand that they are trying to stop alcohol abuse and noisy behavior, but I think this has been done without the necessary publicity: we were not informed and did not know anything about the new law."
Whether you are heading to the Balearic Islands or elsewhere, it is always a good idea to check the terms of a holiday marked as all inclusive before booking.
There’s no official definition of all inclusive, which means you might not get the same at every resort. Always check the small print before booking your holiday.
17th July 2022 - In a bid to stem the flow of drunken tourism, 11 restaurants on the Spanish island of Mallorca have banned people from entering wearing tank tops, swimming costumes, fancy dress costumes, football tops or clothing with logos of branding of other businesses on the islands that promote drunken tourism.
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Travellers to Spain could be asked to prove they have at least €100 per day (per person) in order to be able to enter the country.
This has actually been the rule for some time, and CAN be asked for by border control along with other things such as proof of a return ticket to place of origin. Whether it is asked for or not is entirely down to the officer working on the border at the time. (Its similar to rules to enter the USA or Australia, proof of funds).
See Entry Requirements from the UK
According to the EU laws on entry for third-country nationals, travellers from non-EU and non-Schengen countries need to show proof that they have the financial means to support themselves during their stay in the Schengen Area..
The same requirement also applies to Spain Schengen visa applicants, which means that they need to show proof that they have at least €100 per each day they plan on staying in Spain when applying for a Schengen Visa to Spain, border guards may verify the sufficient means of subsistence on cash, travellers’ cheques and credit cards in possession of the traveller.
The amount required for crossing the external borders is fixed by the Spanish national authorities and has been noted by the official EULaw database & home of the EU Official Journal, known as EUR-Lex.
Why €100?
It is the responsibility of each country to set the per day required amount for stays in its territory.
The amount of €100 per day represents ten per cent of the gross minimum interprofessional gross salary or its legal equivalent in third-country currency multiplied by the amount of days they plan on spending in the territory of Spain and by the number of other travellers whose expenses will also be covering.
Since January 1st, 2022, the Spanish authorities have set the minimum interprofessional wage at €33.33 per day or €1,000 euros per month, depending on whether the wage is fixed by days or by months.
Belgium requires travellers to show proof they have €95 per day if they are staying in a hotel and at least €45 per day if they will be accommodated at cheaper options, and for France the minimum required daily amount of money is €120 if the traveller holds no proof of prepaid accommodation. If the accommodation has been prepaid, the required amount drops to €65 per day.
“I Travelled to Spain Several Times and I Was Never Asked For Such Proof”
Many travellers might have visited Spain more than once, and have never been asked to show proof of sufficient financial means for entry into the country.
The reason behind this is that while travellers are absolutely obliged to hold such proof, the border guards are not required to ask each person entering the country to present these documents. In fact, random travellers are selected to be asked for such documents.
“Foreigners must prove, if required to do so by the officials in charge of controlling the entry of people into Spanish territory, that they have economic resources [for entering the country],” the Spanish Ministry of Interior notes.
The Ministry also points out that travellers are eligible to prove they have the required financial means through cash or by presenting certified checks, traveller’s checks, payment letters, or credit cards, “which must be accompanied by the bank account statement or an up-to-date bank book.” Other means that reliably prove the amount available as credit such as travellers’ cheques and credit cards in possession of the traveller are also acceptable.
What Happens If I am Asked to Prove I Have €100-Per-Day and I Don’t Have It?
If the border guards decide to ask a traveller whether he or she has the required means of subsistence, and the same fails to do so, the border guards have to right to refuse entry into the country to that traveller.
Border officials also have the right to permit entry into Spain to persons who do not have sufficient financial means but by reducing the length of their permitted stay in proportion to the amount of resources available, this means they will set a deadline when the travellers must leave Spain so a new departure ticket would have to be purchased according to this deadline.
Over 135,000 Third-Country Nationals Were Refused Entry at EU External Borders in 2020
Article provided by Schengen Visa Info
Changes to EU travel - There are two quite big changes due for travel in and out of the European Union that will affect non-EU citizens such as British, Americans, Australians and Canadians etc.. The two new border systems being put in place will mean a slight change to travel both in and out of the EU and Schengen zone.
The two systems will be known as EES (Entry/Exit System) and ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)
Update December 2023- The European Union’s much-delayed Entry/Exit Scheme (EES) is due to start on 6 October 2024.
Changes to EU travel
EES - Entry/Exit System
This does not change anything in terms of the visas or documents required for travel, or the rights of travellers, but it does change how the EU’s external borders are policed.
Basically, this will be a security upgrade to replace the current system that relies on border guards with rubber stamps, these will be replaced with an electronic swipe in/out system that registers more details such as your immigration status, this tightens up the 90-day rule and means that anyone attempting to over-stay will instantly be spotted.
The EES system will be able to calculate how long you can stay within the EU, based on your rights of residency or your 90-day allowance, it also checks whether your passport has ever been flagged for immigration offences such as overstaying a visa.
This system is for non-EU nationals who are entering the EU as a visitor (rather than residents). The system scans your passport and will tell you how long you can stay for (based on the 90-allowance or the visa linked to the passport).
The system will register the person’s name, type of travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and captures facial images), as well as the date and place of entry and exit. In addition, the system will also record entry refusals. The data will be gathered at land crossings, seaports, and air and then will be shared with the relevant government agencies.
It will require all non-EU arrivals to have four fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken on first entry into the bloc — biometrics that will be verified on each subsequent entry. Anyone who overstays or exceeds the 90-day rule could face a fine or ban on their future travel.
Many airports already have biometric passport scanners but at the moment they are only checking that your passport is valid and the photo matches your face.
The system will help bona fide third-country nationals too to travel more easily while identifying more efficiently over-stayers and cases of document and identity fraud. As soon as the new system starts being operational, the authorities will put self-service devices at airports. These devices will be used to scan airports, faces, and fingerprints, land borders will get gates where people will be able to scan their documents and face and register their entry or exit into the EU.
This is only for the EU’s external borders, so will not apply if you are travelling between France and Germany, but would apply if you enter any EU or Schengen zone country from a non-EU country e.g crossing from the UK to France or flying into Germany from the US.
What if you are a resident? Non-EU nationals who live in an EU country and have a national residency card such as a TIE in Spain are not affected by this, since they have the right to unlimited stays within their country of residence.
For non-EU nationals who have residency in an EU country it could mean the end of the rather inconsistent process of passport stamping, which has been a particular issue since Brexit
(more info will follow)
Changes to EU travel
ETIAS - European Travel Information and Authorisation System - Note - ETIAS is NOT a visa.
This is only relevant to non-EU citizens who do NOT live permanently in an EU country or have a visa for an EU country, so includes tourists, second-home owners and those on family visits or doing short-term work.
Update October 2023 - The launch of the ETIAS has been postponed several times now, with an EU official confirming that the go-live date for ETIAS has been officially delayed to May 2025.
The launch of the scheme has been postponed several times now, so there’s always a possibility that it will be postponed again.
Citizens of many non-EU countries including the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can spend up to 90 days in every 180 in the EU or Schengen zone without needing a visa – the so-called ’90 day rule’ – people are still entitled to spend up to 90 days in every 180, but the process will not be completely free and travellers will have to fill out an online application before they travel.
Once issued, the authorisation lasts for THREE YEARS an ETIAS will be valid for a period of three years If the holder’s passport expires before three years, then on the date of the passport expiration the ETIAS also becomes invalid.
ALL Travellers Will Need an ETIAS, No Exceptions - Each application will cost €7 - FREE for under 18s and over 70s.
The procedures for obtaining an ETIAS include going online at the ETIAS website (which hasn’t been launched yet There’s Only One Official ETIAS Website) and completing a simple application form. This form contains questions regarding the identity of the traveller and some background security questions. No medical information will be required when applying for an ETIAS. The application, will however ask questions on personal information, including address, passport details, current occupation, and information about past travel to conflict zones or criminal convictions.
The traveller is required to upload his/her passport scan on the system and pay a small fee at the end of the application. The European Commission state that applications should be processed quickly (10-15 minutes to complete) but advise travellers to apply 72 hours in advance in case of delays.
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has explained that carriers will be responsible for refusing boarding to travellers without valid ETIAS authorisation, for example, the airline, bus, train or ferry companies.
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