EU lifts travel ban on 12 COVID-19 afflicted 3rd countries

BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European Union (EU) has authorised members to lift temporary travel restrictions on 12 third countries affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was taken after the EU Council reviewed the list of countries for which member states should gradually lift travel restrictions at the external border

“Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries for which travel restrictions should be lifted”, the EU said, adding that  the list will continue to be reviewed regularly and, as the case may be, updated.

Based on the criteria and conditions set out in the recommendation, as from 31 July member states  were urged to gradually lift the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the  third countries:

Affected countries are Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda and South Korea. Others are Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay and China, subject to confirmation of reciprocity

“Residents of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican should be considered as EU residents for the purpose of this recommendation”, the EU said.

According to the EU, the criteria to determine the third countries for which the current travel restriction should be lifted cover in particular the epidemiological situation and containment measures, including physical distancing, as well as economic and social considerations.

The EU said regarding the epidemiological situation, third countries listed should meet the following criteria, in particular: number of new COVID-19 cases over the last 14 days and per 100 000 inhabitants close to or below the EU average (as it stood on 15 June 2020)

stable or decreasing trend of new cases over this period in comparison to the previous 14 days overall response to COVID-19 taking into account available information, including  aspects such as testing, surveillance, contact tracing, containment, treatment and reporting, as well as the reliability of the information and, if needed, the total average score for International Health Regulations (IHR).

The EU added that information provided by EU delegations on these aspects should also be taken into account adding that reciprocity should also be taken into account regularly and on a case-by-case basis.

“For countries where travel restrictions continue to apply, the following categories of people should be exempted from the restrictions: EU citizens and their family members, long-term EU residents and their family members, travelers with an essential function or need, as listed in the Recommendation. Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) also take part in this recommendation”, the EU said.

It added that the Council recommendation is not a legally binding instrument since authorities of the member states remain responsible for implementing the content of the recommendation.

“They may, in full transparency, lift only progressively travel restrictions towards countries listed. A Member State should not decide to lift the travel restrictions for non-listed third countries before this has been decided in a coordinated manner.

“This list of third countries should continue to be reviewed regularly and may be further updated by the Council, as the case may be, after close consultations with the Commission and the relevant EU agencies and services following an overall assessment based on the criteria above.

“Travel restrictions may be totally or partially lifted or reintroduced for a specific third country already listed according to changes in some of the conditions and, as a consequence, in the assessment of the epidemiological situation. If the situation in a listed third country worsens quickly, rapid decision-making should be applied”, the EU said.