There are worries that a change in the rules for travel will discourage French visitors from making day trips to Jersey.
Currently, French day visitors can access the island using a national identity card thanks to a trial program launched by Jersey's administration.
However, because Jersey is a part of the Common Travel Area, visitors will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) attached to a passport by the end of 2024 in order to visit.
The UK government is enacting the change, which it defends, but opponents have criticized it.
With the change, the trial program that allows visitors to visit Jersey for a single day with only an identity card would come to an end.
I really don't think it's a good idea, according to Anna Pelouso Allen of the Alliance Francaise, an organization working to strengthen ties between Jersey and France.
"If we look at the statistics since the program was implemented, we can see that schools and other groups of French visitors are filling Jersey for the day.
"I don't think it's a good idea to implement this ETA because we'll just end up back where we started.
It is detrimental to relationships, the economy, and tourism. ".
"I think Jersey needs to be bold and Jersey needs to make sure that UK decisions don't pull us further away from Europe," said deputy Kirsten Morel.
I firmly believe that the distance we can be dragged from Europe has reached a point, and I am making great efforts to increase Jersey's trading and commercial ties to Europe.
"I think we need to fight hard to protect Jersey's interests at all times.
"It is up to the UK to decide whether it wants to drift further away. ".
ETAs will cost £10 per applicant, allow for multiple trips, and be good for two years or the duration of the passport holder's validity.
"We remain committed to working with all Crown dependencies to ensure that our border and immigration policies support the efficient operation of the Common Travel Area," a Home Office spokesperson said.
"By preventing the entry of people who pose a threat, the implementation of the Electronic Travel Authorization scheme will improve UK border security.
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