Travelling within the EU: Know your rights

Europe attracts more tourists than anywhere else, making it the most sought-after travel destination.

EU citizens travelling within the EU are entitled to enrol for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

As a European citizen, you have rights when travelling in the EU, one of the most basic fundamental rights being free movement between Member States. Since the Treaty of Maastricht was signed in 1992, EU citizens can freely move around or reside in any Member State for different reasons, including travelling. To further consolidate this sense of freedom and security, the Schengen Area was established, officially removing travelling barriers between Member States while enhancing cooperation between the police and harmonising conditions for entry and rules on visas.

Today, the Schengen Area covers 26 countries, including Malta, and although countries like Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland do not form part of the EU, they are also part of the Schengen agreement. At the same time, there are Member States that have not agreed to the terms of the Schengen Area, mainly the United Kingdom and Ireland, while new Member States have not yet joined the Schengen Area. These are Bulgaria and Romania. It is important to note that while EU citizens do benefit from the right of free movement between states, one must always have a valid identification card in his or her possession at airports or ports for security reasons.

The rights EU citizens are eligible to, include financial reimbursement when denied access to pre-booked flights, face delayed or cancelled flights, and in return for damaged or lost luggage. All European travellers have the right to receive the necessary assistance and appropriate information from their airline operators. Essentially, these rights also apply for other methods of travel; nevertheless, one should always consult official entities for information such as MEUSAC, Europe Direct or the European Consumer Centre, to avoid disappointment and unnecessary inconvenience.

To harmonise the services that all Europeans are entitled to, the EU has an emergency number – 112 - to get you in contact with an ambulance, the police or fire brigade, without incurring any cost.

EU citizens travelling within the EU are entitled to enrol for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This scheme grants EU citizens, including Maltese citizens, to free or reduced-cost emergency health care within Member States, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Nevertheless, one must bear in mind that the EHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance since it covers emergency situations only.

Communication in the EU has also been a priority throughout the years. This was reflected during the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU when another milestone was achieved, that of the removal of mobile roaming charges across the EU. From June 2017, EU citizens started benefiting from the same service charges incurred in their country of residence while travelling. Prior to this, international EU mobile operators used to charge clients excessive fees and additional charges, making it inconvenient to communicate while abroad.

Although this is currently in effect, the ‘fair use policy’ is followed. Briefly, the exemption of roaming charges applies to citizens who are abroad for short periods of time and that citizens do not exceed the approximate usage in their country of residence. If domestic usage is exceeded, the mobile operator will notify the citizen accordingly, and if usage is not reduced, the mobile operator has the right to apply a capped surcharge.

The EU recognises the importance of free movement and the benefits it entails. It gives the opportunity for EU citizens to work, study, travel or retiring in different Member States. In turn, this opportunity has created an environment for the Single Market to strive. Freedom of movement is an indispensable facet of the EU, so much so that it is a priority in the agenda of Brexit’s negotiations.