Passport or not?

[Insulindude]

My nephew stated recently that adults travelling within the EU need not have a passport but that a drivers licence would suffice! Is this true?

[dot.hawkes]

no it isn't true. You could fly from manchester to london without a passport but i always take mine anyway.

[delboy3]

It is true, sort of. Most EU countries have signed up to the Schengen Agreement which allows EU nationals to cross over neighbouring borders without the need to show
anyone their passport.

The UK didn't sign up.

[Buenchico]

(2-part post):

Anyone who's already lawfully in any Schengen country can move freely to any other Schengen country, without any passport formalities whatsoever. (That applies just as well to Brazilians, Iraqis, Australians and other non-EU citizens as it does to EU citizens).

All EU member states have implemented the full provisions of the Schengen Agreement with the exception of the following:
Bulgaria (who've signed up to the agreement and who're expected to implement it fully from March 2011)
Cyprus (who've signed up to the agreement and who're expected to implement it fully from an unspecified date next year)
Liechtenstein (who've signed up to the agreement and who're expected to implement it fully from 1st November this year)
Romania (who've signed up to the agreement and who're expected to implement it fully from March 2011)

Iceland and Norway (which are not in the EU) are also within the Schengen Agreement. Switzerland (again outside of the EU) moves to full implementation of the agreement on 29 March this year.

[Buenchico]

The only EU country which has chosen to remain outside of the full provisions of the Schengen Agreement is the United Kingdom. Ireland is forced to remain outside of Schengen because of its 'open border' agreement with the UK.

For anyone to enter the Schengen block, they need to show a valid passport. The only exception to that rule is that a national identity card may be used by EU citizens. (A driving licence is not a national identity card).

So, until the UK introduces ID cards, UK citizens require a passport to enter any other country, with the exception of Ireland. (UK citizens do not require a passport to enter Ireland but they do require ID to meet the carrier's security rules. All airlines and ferry companies accept a photo-style licence as suitable ID).

Chris