Foreign visitors who currently enjoy visa-free travel to the European Union may soon have to register online and pay €5 before visiting the region, according to a new proposal from the European Commission.

The change would hit visitors to the Schengen Area, which includes most EU states, as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The requirements would apply to citizens of all non-EU countries.

The idea is to force visitors to register so that their details can be checked against security databases before they arrive at the region's border.

That could help to identify people who might pose a security threat, the European Commission said. Interpol and Europol information could also be checked and visitors could be screened for public health risks and their immigration status.

Europe already gets this information about anyone traveling on a visa. However, it doesn't have means to screen visa-free travelers, including most American tourists, ahead of their arrival.

More at CNN.