Maltese nationals visiting the US, either for business or pleasure, will have to start paying a new €11 fee as from today, less than two years after visa restrictions had been lifted.

The proceeds from this controversial fee, being introduced to all EU citizens whose country is a member of the US visa waiver programme, would be invested in tourism and for the running of the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), a new scheme introduced to replace the visa and which aims to check the “suitability” of a traveller to enter the US.

The EU has already warned the US on this measure and is considering taking counter measures, possibly a visa regime.

Only a few days ago, European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said the EU regretted the US decision and would be deciding whether the measure was comparable to a visa.

In 2008, the EU had accepted the American decision to come up with a travel authorisation after the US widened the number of EU member states within its visa waiver programme. However, Brussels had warned Washington against taking any measures that could constitute the disguised return of the visa.

“I have voiced my concerns over the creation of this tax on a number of occasions and I remain convinced that this obligation in the framework of the ESTA to visa-exempted travellers alone is incompatible with the commitment made by the United States to facilitate transatlantic mobility,” Ms Malmstrom said. “This tax will represent an additional charge on EU citizens travelling to the US,” she lamented.

Although Malta joined the EU in 2004 it was only admitted to the visa waiver programme at the end of 2008 after meeting all the requirements made by the US authorities.