Documents you will need

There are no longer any frontier controls at the borders between more than half the EU countries. This is thanks to the so-called Schengen agreement which is part of EU law. The Schengen rules remove all internal border controls but put in place effective controls at the external borders of the EU and introduce a common visa policy. The full Schengen members are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden (but not Ireland and the United Kingdom) plus Iceland and Norway (which are not EU members).
The 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004 do not yet fully participate in Schengen. You will therefore need a valid passport or ID card to travel to those countries and to Ireland and the United Kingdom.
When entering or leaving the EU at the external borders you will need a valid passport or an ID card. You may, of course, need your passport when leaving the EU in order to enter the country of your destination.
It’s best to have your passport or ID card when travelling in the EU because you may be required to prove your identity. If public order or national security so require, checks at the internal borders may be carried out for limited periods.
Make sure that any children travelling with you either have their own passport or ID card or are registered on yours.
Agreements with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland enable their nationals to be treated in the same way as EU citizens and to travel with just an ID card or passport in the EU.

To contact the emerThe EU has been pushing for progress on the awareness and use of 112 as well as on developing systems that automatically forward accurate location information of fixed and mobile callers to emergency service centres. Meanwhile car manufacturers are developing cars that can make automated emergency calls (eCalls) in the case of an accident anywhere in Europe and give a precise location to the 112 emergency response centres.

Loss or theft

Report any theft to the local police. You will need to enclose the police report when making your insurance or compensation claim. Cancel any lost or stolen credit cards immediately. If your passport has been stolen, report it to your contry's consulate or embassy as well as to the police.

Advice on your rights

For free advice on your rights as a traveller and any other rights and where to go for help, telephone the EUROPE DIRECT service on 00800 6 7 8 9 10 11 from anywhere in the EU.

Travelling with a cat or dog is now much easier with the new EU pet passport available from any vet. All cats and dogs must have a passport containing details of a valid rabies vaccination. For a limited time Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the United Kingdom also require proof that the vaccination has been effective. The necessary tests must be carried out at least six months prior to travel to Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom and 120 days after vaccination in the case of Sweden.
In addition, a tick treatment and a tapeworm (echinococcosis) treatment is required for entry into Ireland, Malta and the UK. Finland and Sweden require a tapeworm treatment. An electronic microchip will be introduced over the next five years to allow easy identification of the animal. In the meantime, a tattoo can be used as identification except in Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom where a microchip is already required.