Fully Vaccinated Tourists Can Soon Travel to Europe As European Union Relaxes Border Restrictions  
Europe 19/05/2021 •
Dust off your passports: The European Union (EU) has agreed to open up its borders to COVID-19 vaccinated travellers after more than a year of restrictions which virtually banned the entry of tourists from outside the bloc.

The European Union Council (EU) on Wednesday agreed to relax travel restrictions on entry by foreign tourists – clearing the way for countries in the bloc to open up their borders to COVID-19 vaccinated travellers after more than a year in which visits by most non-EU passport holders were refused. 

With the summer tourism season approaching, ambassadors of the 27 countries approved the recommendation which was proposed by the European Commission, its spokesman Christian Wigand told reporters.

Wigand said the agreement still needed to be formally adopted by the European Council, but that it is something “which we understand will happen very soon”.

Travellers who received EU-approved COVID-19 vaccines will be allowed entry into the bloc. COVID-19 vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the bloc’s drug regulator, include those by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson.The EMA hasn’t approved any vaccines from Russia or China as of yet but is looking at data on Russia’s Sputnik V jab.

The EU also agreed to ease the criteria for nations to be considered a safe country, from which all tourists can travel. Up to now, that list included only seven nations – Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and China.

Wigand said the EU’s European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is to give advice on the list of non-EU countries with a “good epidemiological situation” from where travel is permitted.

“What will be adopted are the criteria for revising the list and also for the other recommendation on making it possible for vaccinated travellers to come to Europe,” said Wigand.

EU Council Will Expedite Proposal 

Earlier this month the EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen revealed the bloc’s plan “to revive the tourism industry and rekindle cross-border friendships”.

“We propose to welcome again vaccinated visitors and those from countries with a good health situation. But if variants emerge we have to act fast: we propose an EU emergency brake mechanism,” Von der Leyen said at the time.

Wigand did not give a timeline on when travellers could start making bookings to visit the EU, but said: “We have seen in the past the Council moving very quickly on this”.  Wigand also made no reference to whether people who have recovered from COVID would also be included in the plans. 

Individual EU member nations will in any case, continue to exercise discretion over whether to require proof of a negative coronavirus test, a quarantine period after arrival, and other control measures. In March the European Commission released a proposal establishing a framework for a “Digital Green Certificate”, clearing the way for a vaccine certificate system to be set up by the summer. 

The EU imposed strict measures, including closing its external borders, in March 2020 to contain COVID-19 outbreaks, but the 27 ambassadors now say many of those restrictions on non-essential travel should be eased.

Member States have also agreed to set up a coordinated emergency mechanism to rapidly suspend third country arrivals in the event of deterioration in the health situation due to the appearance of coronavirus variants.

Dust Off Your Passports: Borders Are Opening Up

EU nations have been struggling throughout the pandemic to prop up their vital tourism industry, and now hope to recover some income over this year’s peak summer season.

There was building pressure to open up borders – with some countries such as Greece and Spain, which depend heavily on tourism, already making moves.

On May 14, Greece lifted travel restrictions for tourists who have proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from COVID, or a negative COVID-19 PCR test.

Germany has eased quarantine requirements after travel for fully vaccinated people – although there are still restrictions upon the entry to the country by non-EU citizens. 

On Monday, the UK lifted a ban on non-essential travel, saying that Brits could now go on holiday to the other 12 countries on a UK green light list of low-risk locations.

Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons: Nemo.

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