Should I beware of the European Union Brexit deadlines when I book my holiday?

Brexit Explained: It’s not just politicians in limbo over Brexit extensions – holidaymakers have been left facing uncertainty too

When the histories are written of the most inept British government in our lifetimes, special mention should be made of the extraordinary position that prospective holidaymakers were placed in at Easter 2019.

With only 48 hours remaining before the (second) no-deal Brexit date, hundreds of thousands of UK citizens did not know whether their passports would be valid for travel in the European Union beyond 11pm on 12 April; whether their British driving licences might expire as they drove along an Italian autostrada; or whether their entitlement to free treatment in a Swedish hospital could be abruptly terminated at the same instant.

A host of other concerns for British visitors to Europe were lower down the list: the charges their mobile phone provider might reintroduce for roaming in the EU, the need for a Green Card for their caravan and the ending of the free admission for British visitors to the Royal Palace in Madrid.

For any modern European Union government to place its travelling citizens in a position of such overwhelming uncertainty is unprecedented.

While Brexit has officially been postponed until 31 October 2019 (excitingly midway through the autumn half-term for many families), there is understandable anxiety among prospective travellers about the other EU deadlines between now and Halloween.

The government is desperate to get the prime minister’s deal through by 22 May to avoid participating in the European elections the following day.

But the bruised and bloodied British travel industry – and shrewd travellers – are looking with some anxiety nine days beyond that. If the UK does not participate in the election of MEPs, it must leave the EU on this date, with or without a deal.

Given the disarray and bitter political battles that have characterised Brexit, there is a possibility that the UK will fall out without a deal on 1 June 2019 – again, for many families, midway through half-term. For example, guerrilla parliamentary tactics by Brexiteers could prevent the necessary legislation getting through.

Anyone who has the good fortune to be in an EU nation at the start of June can probably relax about the new passport rules that would take effect, rendering any UK travel document with less than six months’ validity ineligible; the authorities are unlikely to seek out offending Brits. But the motoring and medical issues will be serious concerns for some.

Many British travellers with pre-existing medical conditions take a rational decision to rely upon the European Health Insurance Card for treatment within the EU; the alternative is high-priced travel insurance. After almost three years of trying to find a post-Brexit successor to the reciprocal healthcare agreement, the government is still merely “hopeful” that something will happen.

Another date, 30 June, is the deadline for British holidaymakers who want to take their dog or cat (or, indeed, ferret) to the European Union after that 31 October departure date. With no certainty about the “pet passport” regime from November onwards, the government says: “To make sure your pet is able to travel from the UK to the EU after EU Exit in any scenario, you should contact your vet at least four months before travelling to get the latest advice.”

Thus the unholy mess continues. If, however, you are optimistic that the UK will not leave without a deal, then there could be a Brexit dividend: reluctance to commit by some travellers means lower demand, and hence prices, than would prevail during a summer of sanity.