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Travelers to the European Union Will Soon Have to Pay a Fee
As has long been discussed, the EU plans to finally start charging a visa-waiver fee for US passport holders to enter and they're calling it ETIAS. The stated main purpose of the fee is to increase security in Europe, and at 7 euros or around $8 (for access to 26 countries), its price is comparable to the fee most EU passport holders can pay to have entry to the US for two years (ESTA). The ETIAS website is transparent about the new program being ESTA-inspired.
Along with paying the fee, travelers will be required to fill in a form with basic information. The rules for amount of time spent in the EU will remain exactly the same as they are now, at an allowance of 90 days in the EU for every 180 days for US passport-holding tourists.
The exact date for the start of ETIAS isn't public yet, but it's set for late 2022. Once the new rules come into effect, there will be a 6-month grace period for US citizens. With the amount of traffic between the US and the EU, it's almost certain that your airline will remind you about the new requirements. Regardless, it's always good to plan ahead!