EU home affairs chief Cecilia Malmstrom said on Friday (6 August) that a US plan to introduce a €10.50 fee for an entry application is regrettable and inconsistent with its goal to increase numbers of transatlantic visitors.
The criticism came after the US Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection department announced an interim rule under which from 8 September all applicants for electronic visas using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would have to pay a €7.50 ($10) "travel promotion fee" and a €3 ($4) administrative fee.
"I regret very much the fee established by the interim rule," Ms Malmstrom said in a statement, adding that she had "repeatedly raised concerns about the introduction of this fee." The commissioner also warned the new requirements "are inconsistent with the commitment of the US to facilitate transatlantic mobility and will be an additional onus for European citizens travelling to the US."
For more: EUobserver / EU regrets US electronic visa fee
No comments:
Post a Comment