In the aftermath of Brexit, a ray of hope emerged for cultural exchange between France and the United Kingdom. A scheme was introduced in December 2022 to revitalize school trips from France to Britain, allowing French students to travel using national identity cards and streamlining visa requirements for their non-EU classmates. The initiative, born from a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and then-UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, aimed to address the sharp decline in visits following the UK’s departure from the European Union.
Promising Results, But Clouds on the Horizon
According to data from Les Entreprises du Voyage, the main trade body for travel agencies in France, the scheme yielded impressive results in its first year. School trips from France to the UK saw a remarkable 30% increase, a significant recovery from the 60% drop experienced in 2019. This resurgence in educational travel was a testament to the power of collaboration and the enduring desire for cross-cultural understanding.
However, the success story may be short-lived. The UK’s impending introduction of the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme, set to take effect on 2 April 2025, has raised concerns among French officials and travel industry leaders. The new system will require all EU visitors, including school children, to register before traveling to the UK – a process that mandates the possession of a passport.
Urgent Clarification Sought
Valérie Boned, president of Les Entreprises du Voyage, penned a letter to UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on 8 October, seeking clarity on the future of the French school trips program. The trade body expressed apprehension about the potential impact of the ETA scheme on the initiative’s viability, emphasizing the need for a timely resolution to minimize disruption to planned trips in 2025.
“The sooner we manage to clear the situation, the less impact it will have on the number of school trips for 2025,”
wrote Boned in her letter, underlining the urgency of the matter.
The Home Office has yet to provide a public response to the inquiry, leaving stakeholders on both sides of the Channel in a state of uncertainty.
A Test for UK-EU Relations Reset
The predicament surrounding French school trips to Britain comes at a pivotal moment in UK-EU relations. The Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has pledged to “reset” ties with the European Union, aiming to foster a more cooperative and productive partnership in the post-Brexit era.
Brussels has called upon the UK to consider opening discussions on a youth mobility scheme, which would enable young people from the EU to live and work in the UK for a fixed period, and vice versa. Such an arrangement already exists between the UK and more distant partners like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. However, Prime Minister Starmer has thus far resisted pressure to entertain this proposal.
The Value of Cultural Exchange
The uncertainty surrounding the future of French school trips to the UK underscores the complexities of forging new relationships in the aftermath of Brexit. Educational exchanges play a vital role in fostering understanding, tolerance, and friendship between nations, particularly among younger generations. The loss or diminishment of such opportunities due to bureaucratic hurdles would be a blow to the spirit of international cooperation.
As the clock ticks down to the implementation of the UK’s new entry rules, policymakers on both sides of the Channel must work diligently to find a solution that preserves the invaluable tradition of French school trips to Britain. The successful navigation of this challenge will not only safeguard an important avenue for cultural exchange but also serve as a litmus test for the broader reset of UK-EU relations in the years to come.
The story of French school trips caught in the crosshairs of post-Brexit regulations is a poignant reminder of the human dimension of international politics. Behind the headlines and statistics are countless young minds eager to explore, learn, and connect across borders. As leaders in London, Paris, and Brussels chart the course for the future, they must not lose sight of the transformative power of educational journeys and the imperative to keep these pathways open for generations to come.
