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Paying up

September 8, 2009

European travelers entering the US may be faced with a new levy in the future. The plans by US lawmakers could trigger a trans-Atlantic tit-for-tat response with travelers on both sides footing the bill.

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A US Customs and Border Protection Officer taking down visitors' data at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta
Europe fears the US levy plans could impede trans-Atlantic mobilityImage: AP

The European Union has raised objections over US plans to introduce a $10 charge for travelers entering the US. If the planned levy is deemed equivalent to a visa, EU lawmakers might decide to retaliate, by forcing entry-visas on US visitors to the 27-member bloc.

Currently, 29 European countries are part of the US visa waiver program (among 35 countries worldwide), permitting European tourists to enter the United States without a visa. However, the US introduced an online registration process earlier this year, requiring European visitors to confirm their visa-free status, three days before their departure - a move that irritated EU officials in Brussels at the time.

The European Commission signaled that if the US changed the requirements of its Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), the EU might be forced to review its own position.

"The introduction of a fee by the US, would require a new assessment of the European Commission ... to evaluate whether the ESTA system, is tantamount to a visa or not," said Commission spokesman Michele Cercone.

Scanning for terrorists

EU officials believe a fee would also discourage European visitors from registering online, which - as Cercone argued - would undermine the security objectives of the system.

A US dollar banknote buried under euro coins
Europe may retaliate if the US introduces its $10 levyImage: AP

"The introduction of such a fee would constitute a step backward in our joint endeavor to ease transatlantic mobility," Cercone said.

That argument resonates with European civil liberties groups, which see the electronic registration process - with or without a fee - as an invasion of privacy rights. They say the US has no right to the personal information of EU citizens.

The US argues that information is crucial in the fight against terrorism. Washington says the system gives US intelligence officials a 72 hours 'heads-up' if unwanted visitors (or would-be terrorists) are planning to travel to the US.

Officials in Brussels are reluctant to comment further, stressing the plan to introduce a $10 charge is still being debated in Washington.

But other EU representatives have been less cautious.

"Only in 'Alice in Wonderland' could a penalty be seen as promoting the activity on which it is imposed," the European Commission's ambassador to the United States, John Bruton, said.

Other EU objections, especially in countries where credit cards are less widely used, include the question of how any levy would be paid. There is a growing sense in Brussels, that forcing Europeans to pay $10 to enter the United States by credit card and online only discriminates against those visitors who neither use the Internet nor possess a credit card.

A German passport on top of an EU flag
Europe fears the US levy plans could impede trans-Atlantic mobilityImage: picture-alliance/dpa/Helga Lade Fotoagentur GmbH/DW

The $10 registration fee, which would last two years before having to be renewed, has been described by US lawmakers as 'nominal.'

They say the money generated by the registration fee, would go towards teaching visitors how to use the electronic registration process as well as other programs to promote travel to the US.

The weakest link

Another source of tension between the EU and US over the visa waiver program, involves the way the deal is negotiated. EU officials argue Washington should stop negotiating with individual EU countries bilaterally, and instead, work with the European Union has a whole.

But Washington insiders accuse the EU of hypocrisy, arguing that if EU unity is so important to the Europeans, then individual countries benefiting from the visa waiver program should be prepared to give it up in solidarity with those EU member states that continue to be excluded.

US administration officials also insist there are live security threats in Europe. Washington clearly views Greece as problematic. It is the only 'old' EU member state which has been denied the visa waiver program. US intelligence does not trust Greek passport security and is unconvinced by Athens' commitment to fighting terrorism and extremists.

But Brussels argues, no EU member state should be left in limbo - and negotiating with one EU country, should mean, negotiating with all.

Author: Nina-Maria Potts (nk)

Editor: Nancy Isenson