Maltese do not need passports to travel in EU

The European Commission this week made it clear that an identity card is sufficient for Maltese travellers to move throughout the EU and that there is no need that Maltese citizens show a passport to be admitted into any of the other 26 EU member states.

This was made clear by the European Commission in response to questions put by Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil at the European Parliament following complaints he received by various Maltese citizens over the issue.

Dr Busuttil told The Sunday Times that in the past weeks he received many complaints that when travelling to EU countries, immigration authorities were refusing to accept Maltese identity cards and were asking for passports instead. He said that this has happened in Germany, the UK and also Italy.

However, the Commission has now set the record straight and made it clear that a Maltese identity card is sufficient for travel in the EU.

In his reply to Dr Busuttil's query, EU Commissioner Franco Frattini said that "member states must grant entry to their territory to EU citizens who present a valid identity card". He added that "a national legislation or administrative practice of not accepting identity cards for entry is contrary to Community law".

Mr Frattini also pointed out that the Commission intervenes with member states even in individual cases of refusal of an identity card and monitors compliance with EU law.

Dr Busuttil welcomed this clear-cut reply by Commissioner Frattini and appealed to Maltese citizens to stand up for their EU rights.

"If immigration authorities ask for a passport one should insist that the identity card is sufficient. Let us speak up for our rights and report cases where they are not respected," he said.

Free movement and less red tape is one of the acquired rights through Malta's EU membership.