Brexit news LATEST – Warning to Brits over MAJOR 2021 holiday changes as crunch Brexit talks rage on

BRITS have been warned to expect major changes to their holidays in 2021 after the UK's Brexit transition period formally ends.

With Brexit talks continuing to press ahead the December 31st end of the transtiion period looms on the horizon.

Now the Government has released its 'Check, Change, Go' travel campaign to help Brits heading abroad adjust to inevitable changes to their travels.

One of the biggest changes is that Brits will need to have their own medical insurance for travel within the EU next year, as the European Health Insurance Card will no longer be valid.

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• WARNING FOR BRITS WITH HOLIDAY HOPES FOR 2021

  The government has released additional information to help Brits prepare as part of its “Check, Change, Go” campaign.

  One of the biggest changes is ditching the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which provided a vital life line for British holidaymakers in Europe.

  The free EHICs allowed the holder to be covered by the same health services as citizens of the country they were travelling in.

  Now UK citizens will have to be protected by their own medical travel insurance for any European holidays after the transition comes to a close.

• FORMER SNP SPOKESMAN SAYS BREXIT WILL BE ECONOMICALLY CATASTROPHIC

  Former SNP Europe spokesman, Stephen Gethins, warned that the UK will be worse off the harder the Brexit deal is.

  Speaking on BBC Newsnight, he said the PM had made an “absolute mess” of Brexit so far.

  Mr Gethins said: “Leaving the European Union was always going to make us poorer and worse off.

  “In particular it was going to make us poorer and worse off the harder Brexit that you’ve got and we’re going to get the hardest of hard Brexits.

  “That’s not good for anybody and we know that we’ll be worse off and it’ll be economically catastrophic.”

• 'CONVINCED' BREXIT DEAL CAN BE DONE

  The European Commission chief has said she is “convinced” a trade deal remains possible.

  Ursula von der Leyen said she was “still convinced” a deal with London “can be done”.

  The commission president's comments come as the UK confirmed “some limited progress” had been made between the negotiation teams during informal talks in Brussels this week.

  A government spokesman said: “The UK's negotiating team had useful informal discussions with the EU this week as we seek to reach an agreement by mid-October on our future relationship.”

  “These covered a broad range of issues and some limited progress was made, but significant gaps remain in key areas, including fisheries and subsidies.

  “We will continue to work hard to bridge those gaps in talks next week, without compromising our fundamental position of being an independent country.”

• 'HARD BORDER BY ACCIDENT'

  Donald Trump's special envoy to Northern Irelandhas warned against creating a “hard border by accident” on the island, the Financial Times reported.

  Mick Mulvaney told the paper: “The Trump administration, State Department and the U.S. Congress would all be aligned in the desire to see the Good Friday Agreement preserved to see the lack of a border maintained.”

  Boris Johnson is proposing new legislation that would break the Northern Ireland protocol of the Brexit divorce treaty that seeks to avoid a physical customs border between British-ruled Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland.

• DONE DEAL

  UK visitors will face extra checks as of January 1, when we exit the EU’s single market and free movement zone.

  Here's some of the changes:

  Burgundy passports or those with the EU on the cover will still be valid.

  After the transition period, Brits may need an additional 15 months on their documents, which means you should double check whether you need a new passport before you travel.

  If you do want to drive in Europe after 2020, you'll have to get hold of an International Driving Permit.

  British pets will have the hardest time travelling through the EU and it could take up to four months to go through the new process.

  Mobile roaming charges will depend on your network – but most of the big networks have said they will continue to offer free roaming.

  EE, Vodafone, Three Mobile and O2 have all confirmed to The Sun that they have no current plans to reintroduce roaming charges.

• CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES TO HELP HOLIDAYMAKERS PLAN TRIPS TO EU AFTER TRANSITION PERIOD

  A public information campaign aimed at helping UK travellers prepare for the end of the Brexit transition period launches today.

  The Government initiative alerts holidaymakers planning trips to the European Union that new rules come into force on January 1.

  Travellers are urged to visit gov.uk/transition to check what actions they may need to take before their trip.

  People are being warned they may not be allowed to travel to most EU countries if their passport does not have both six months left until it expires and is less than 10 years old.

  European Health Insurance Cards may no longer be valid and holidaymakers should purchase “appropriate travel insurance”, according to the guidance.

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