Canadians planning a trip to Europe don’t have to worry about getting a travel permit – for now – as the rollout of a new entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals has been delayed.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) was due to launch last year, requiring Canadian passport holders among others travelling to any of these 30 European countries for a short stay to apply for the permit.

To support the ETIAS rollout, the European Commission is planning to put in place an automated IT system, called Entry-Exit System (EES), to register non-EU nationals who travel for short visits to 30 EU member states and Schengen associated countries.

A European Commission spokesperson told Global News on Monday that the commission along with EU member states and eu-LISA, which is an IT agency of the European Union, have “made significant efforts” to launch the EES before the end of 2024.

“However, the implementation of a large-scale IT system like EES is a complex operation and delays could not be completely excluded,” the spokesperson said in an emailed response.

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The commission had also not received “the required declarations of readiness from all member states, which is a legal requirement to be able to start the operation of the system,” the spokesperson added.

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A proposal was put forward by the commission last month for a “progressive start of operations” of the EES, but that has yet to be adopted.

“When the proposal is adopted and enters into force, the commission will decide on the date of the progressive start of the EES, after having received all declarations of readiness from Member States,” the spokesperson said.

“At the latest six months from the progressive launch, the EES will have to operate at its full capacity.”

The ETIAS rollout is expected six months after the EES becomes operational, the spokesperson said.

Currently, Canadian citizens can enter Europe without any travel permit or visa and stay for up to three months.

However, if their stay exceeds 90 days, a visa is required.

When it launches, the ETIAS travel authorization – which is not a visa – will be required for Canadian passport holders planning to stay in the 30 EU member states and Schengen associated countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

To apply for this permit, Canadian travellers will have to fill out a form with their personal information, travel document details, level of education and current occupation, details about the intended stay, as well as any criminal convictions.

The fee to apply for ETIAS is $10.

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Children under the age of 18 and seniors above 70 are exempt from paying the fee. Family members of EU citizens or non-EU nationals who can freely move throughout the European Union are also exempt from incurring this cost.

The new programme, which was adopted by the European Council in 2018, will affect nearly 1.4 billion travellers from more than 60 countries that are exempt from getting a visa to enter Europe.

The ETIAS travel authorization will be valid for up to three years or until the passport expires – whichever comes sooner.

“ETIAS will further strengthen Europe’s internal security by carrying pre-travel screening of visa-free travellers to determine whether they pose a security, illegal immigration, or public health risk,” Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, says on its website.

Since its approval, the rollout of the ETIAS has been delayed multiple times.

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