Travelling to the UK is becoming even more complicated

This morning, London Heathrow – one of the busiest airports in the world – announced that due to a fire that broke out overnight, it will remain closed for the entire day. The incident caused the cancellation of over 1300 international flights and a blackout across the UK capital. A news event that might seem like a real disaster for travelers, but the greater catastrophe lies in the recent news that starting from April 2025, anyone residing in the European Union who wishes to visit the United Kingdom for less than six months will have to apply for specific authorization. The initial cost of this measure is £10 (around €12), but the British government has already announced a future price increase, which could reach £16 (around €20). The requirement also applies to passengers in transit through UK airports who intend to temporarily leave the international area. The authorization, called ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), can be requested via the official British government portal or through the dedicated app. Once the application is submitted, it may take up to three working days to receive the outcome. Yes, not all applications are automatically approved. If granted, the ETA will be valid for two years, allowing multiple entries into the country.

In essence, the initiative further complicates the movement of people between the United Kingdom and the European Union, with all the consequences that entails. The fact remains that the introduction of the ETA does not change the procedures for travelers coming from countries that already require a visa to enter the UK. The new measure indeed applies to citizens of countries that could previously enter without specific authorizations, including those from the European Union. This change is a direct consequence of Brexit. Since January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union, following a highly debated referendum four years earlier, in which the Leave vote won by just over three percentage points.

No, Brexit didn’t work

Today, Brexit is a source of growing dissatisfaction among British citizens, including many who initially voted in favor of leaving the European Union. The discontent is so widespread that British media have coined the term "Bregret," a play on words combining Brexit and regret, to describe the collective feeling of remorse present in the UK. Many have now accepted the fact that Brexit was a flop. One of the key arguments of the pro-Leave campaign was the reduction of migration flows, perceived as out of control. Through populist rhetoric, advocates for leaving the EU accused citizens from economically less developed countries of exploiting the British welfare system. However, the numbers later proved the opposite: while immigration from European countries did indeed decrease, there was a significant increase in arrivals from other parts of the world, including a rise in irregular immigration. On the economic front as well, the expectations of a more prosperous and independent United Kingdom turned out to be unfounded. Data indicates that between 2020 and today, Brexit has reduced the UK’s GDP by 2.5%, with an impact that could reach 4% in the long run, mainly due to the decline in trade with Europe.

Beyond the economic and migration consequences, Brexit has also had significant effects on the cultural sector, particularly live music. Before leaving the EU, British artists and bands could perform freely across Europe without the need for visas or special permits. Today, however, musicians must face complex and costly bureaucracy. This has made it much harder for emerging artists to organize tours in the United Kingdom, limiting growth opportunities and dampening the country's music scene. The new system of visas and permits has made the entry process more expensive and uncertain, discouraging many artists from planning concerts across the Channel. The result is a less vibrant music scene, where basically only festivals like Glastonbury manage to attract international artists. But even major music events, once a benchmark for the British creative industry, are feeling the effects of these restrictions. Brexit has made it more costly and complicated to hire foreign artists, leading to less diverse line-ups and a gradual loss of appeal among European audiences, who now need to go through excessively bureaucratic measures like the ETA to attend.