American plans to introduce an entrance fee for Germans and other Europeans entering the U.S. has been met by harsh criticism. At an European Union meeting on Monday, Germany's Interior Minister Wolfgang Schauble opposed the plans, saying the plan to charge visitors a fee didn't make sense.

A high-ranking member of the German government is calling on Washington to abandon plans to introduce a fee to visit the U.S. At a meeting in Brussels on Monday, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schauble of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Party (CDU), said that entering the United States should remain free of charge. The U.S. had previously revealed plans to introduce a $10 (€6.80) fee for anyone wishing to enter the country without a visa.

"This is something we must talk about with the United States," said Schauble. He has already discussed this issue with the new U.S. ambassador in Berlin, Phil Murphy.

The U.S. is planning on imposing the fee on anyone traveling from a country that participates in the Visa Waiver Program. The scheme allows citizens of specific countries to travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. Germany and the majority of E.U. countries are part of this program.