EU to allow in visitors from 14 ‘safe’ countries, US excluded

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Daily US Times: The European Union (EU) has named 14 countries whose citizens are considered safe to be it the zone from 1 July, despite the coronavirus pandemic- But the US, China, and Brazil are excluded.

Those named include Canada, Japan, Australia, Morocco, and South Korea.

Diplomats say that the EU us ready to add China on the allowing list if the Chinese government offers a reciprocal deal for EU travellers.

EU border controls have been lifted for EU citizens travelling inside the bloc. Rules for UK travellers are covered separately in the Brexit negotiations.

Border controls have been lifted for the EU citizens inside the bloc. Rules for UK travellers are covered separately in the Brexit negotiations.

UK citizens are still being treated in the same way as the EU nationals until the end of Brexit transition period on 31 December. UK nationals and their family members are exempt from the temporary travel restriction during that time.

On the current “safe” list, still likely to be amended, are New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro and Morocco.

The UK is currently negotiating “air bridges” with several EU member states. The negotiations’ goal is to protect the summer holidays from coronavirus. Summer is the busiest season in Europe for tourism, which employs millions of people.

The EU procedure to formalise the list, and criteria by which countries are judged safe or not, are to be finalised by midday on Tuesday.

At least 55% of the EU countries, representing 65% of the EU population – have signed off on list.

There were splits between those such as Spain. The country is wanting the boost of tourism, but preferring to play safe because they have been hit so hard by Covid-19 – and others like Portugal and Greece, which depend on tourism but are less scarred by the virus.

Reports said last week that member states were assessing two different lists. According to reports from the Politico website, one list should covered countries with fewer than 16 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people and the other with up to 20 cases, which would include Turkey and Canada. The list is expected to be revised every two weeks, so the US could be added later.

European Commission also stressed earlier this month that reopening borders with non-EU states in the Western Balkans was a priority from 1 July. However, last week, EU member Croatia said that travellers from Kosovo, Bosnia, Serbia, and North Macedonia would all face 14-day self-isolation, because of an increase in infections.

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