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Ready for your holidays? Here's what you need to remember

By European Commission

GeoBlue
GeoBlue

Summary: This article from the European Commission reviews common travel issues when planning a holiday in the EU - from passenger rights to safety to traveling with pets.

Cash & Paying by Card

The euro is the currency used in 18 EU countries, and you can use all notes and coins in all 18 countries including many of their overseas territories. Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City also use the euro as their national currency. Whilst Kosovo and Montenegro use the euro as their de facto currency. Any payments in euro made using a debit/credit card within the EU should be charged at the same rate as any national electronically processed payment of the same value in euros.

Documents

Don't forget your ID card or passport - even if you are travelling between countries inside the EU's border-free area, it's still a good idea to carry these documents in case you need to prove your identity for some reason.

Non-EU travellers must always carry a valid passport and, depending on the country they are from, may also need an entry visa at the border.

Travelling with pets

EU citizens can travel within the EU with their cats, dogs or ferrets provided it has a European pet passport. For other pets you should consult the relevant national rules before travel. If you are travelling to Finland, Ireland, Malta or the United Kingdom, your dog must be treated against the tapeworm Echinococcus.

Safety

Before you travel, check your airport's website for a detailed list of prohibited items or ask your airline before travelling. Road safety and traffic rules vary within the EU so find out the country-specific rules before you go or download the "Going Abroad" app for more information.

In case of emergency dial 112 free of charge from fixed and mobile phones everywhere in the EU. Also remember to take your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with you. The EHIC card will simplify the paperwork and help with refunds for any public health care expenses.

Passenger rights

Whether travelling by rail, air, bus/coach or ship, if you experience delays, cancellations or have special mobility needs, you have rights when travelling in the EU. Download the mobile app on passenger rights free of charge to have the information at hand if you encounter problems.

You can also submit an air passenger rights EU complaint form on your return if you wish to apply for a refund or compensation. For rail, bus and ship passengers complaints should be directed to the carrier or company responsible. If this is unsuccessful, or you are not satisfied with the reply, you can complain to the national enforcement body in the EU country where the incident took place:

Air

Rail

Ship

Bus/coach

Roaming charges

From 1 July 2014 the EU is lowering the price caps for data downloads by more than half - down from €0.45 per megabyte to €0.20. This means it will be cheaper to use applications, watch videos, check your e-mail and update social networks if you are travelling in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway. See table below for details of other reduced rates when using your mobile phone abroad.

Type of mobile activity in the EU2013 Caps (excl. VAT)2014 Caps (excl. VAT)Decrease
Making a call24 cents per min19 cents per min21%
Receiving a call7 cents per min5 cents per min28.5%
Downloading data / browsing45 cents per MB20 cents per MB 55.5%

For more information and advice on travel-related issues visit the Your Europe travel website. Enjoy your holidays!


First Published: Oct 07, 2014

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