The European Union member states agreed on refreshing the strict rules of visiting the bloc. Travellers who have been fully vaccinated with an approved shot, are able to visit the EU countries.
The EU on Wednesday decided to reopen its borders to visitors who have been fully immunized against the COVID-19. Additionally, visitors coming from a list of countries considered safe from a covid perspective, are also will be welcomed to the bloc.
Ambassadors from the 27 member states endorsed a proposal by the European Commission, which will see the bloc reopen its borders to tourists and other travellers more freely after being largely inaccessible for over a year, The New York Times has learned.
The list of covid-safe countries will be updated
The list of safe countries based on epidemiological criteria will be finalized on Friday, and the new measures could go into effect as early as next week, according to European officials involved in the process
The bloc will accept visitors who have received full immunization using one of the shots approved by its own regulator or by the UN health body. That covers
- the Pfizer-BioNTech,
- Moderna,
- Johnson & Johnson,
- AstraZeneca and
- Sinopharm vaccines.
The EU would open the door to USA citizens who have been receiving shots from Pfizer, Moderna and J&J. In its efforts to revive the tourism and pre-covid life, the EU will also maintain an emergency-brake option. A legal tool that will allow it to quickly snap back to more restrictive travel conditions if a threatening new variant or other Covid emergency emerges.
