Member States’ national ambassadors to the EU gave the green light on Wednesday 19 May to the proposed revision of the EU recommendation on non-essential travel to the EU, which aims to open the EU to more tourists from third countries, especially those who are vaccinated and come from a zone considered to be safe by the EU.
The proposal was tabled on 3 May (see EUROPE 12711/1) and had received a positive initial response on 5 May (see EUROPE 12713/13). However, the national ambassadors have made some changes. For example, they lowered the epidemiological threshold proposed by the Commission from 100 cases/100,000 population to 75, which is still more flexible than the current threshold of 25 cases. This will open up the possibility for more tourists to travel to the EU without restrictions on testing or quarantine, unless the member country requires it.
For vaccinated tourists, the formula adopted is to accept all tourists from third countries who have been vaccinated with two doses and to lift the testing and quarantine measures for them, if they have received a vaccine recognised by the European Agency. Member States will also be able to accept vaccinated tourists who have received a WHO-recognised vaccine, if they so wish.
Member States that test and/or quarantine tourists arriving on their soil from third countries or the EU will be able to continue to do so.
The proposal also provides for an ‘emergency brake’ and coordinated restriction measures in case of problems with a variant.
The recommendation - which raised no objections on Wednesday, a source said - will be adopted as early as Thursday 20 May as an ‘A’ item of the Foreign Affairs Council in its trade formation. The current list of third countries whose nationals can come to the EU, which includes seven countries, should therefore be extended in the coming days. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)