The European Union said, it is planning to introduce a new pass for British travellers as part of a wider security crackdown to identify potential troublemakers. <br/><br/>The European Commission is discussing bringing in a version of the visa waiver programme which British travellers to the US already have to apply for. <br/><br/>Sir Julian King, European commissioner for the security union, said that plans to introduce an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, ESTA will help identify potential troublemakers before they arrived at border control gates.<br/><br/>The US scheme requires international travellers who are exempt from visa requirements to apply for an ESTA and pay around 10 pounds before entering the territory. It lasts for two years. <br/><br/>According to 'The Times', if a similar scheme were to operate in the EU, British travellers could be forced to apply online before taking trips to mainland Europe. <br/><br/>Currently British passport holders can travel throughout EU member states without having to apply for any kind of short-term visas.