EU To Keep the US on the Safe List
After reports that the EU was planning to reimpose restrictions for US travellers, the EU decided against the idea on 9 August 2021.
Non-essential travel from the US to the EU can continue for now despite a surge in US coronavirus cases exceeding the threshold of cases and lack of reciprocity, according to the latest European recommendation.
EU countries made the decision, according to three EU officials speaking to major news agencies. They left the US on an EU list of some 24 places from which “travel restrictions should be lifted”, but which is not binding on member states' national administrations.
The next review of the list of countries being granted unrestricted access into the EU will be in two weeks.
Unrestricted Travel to the EU
Travellers from the following countries can enter the EU for non-essential purposes.
- Albania
- Armenia
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei Darussalam
- Canada
- Israel
- Japan
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Qatar
- Republic of Moldova
- Republic of North Macedonia
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Ukraine
- United States of America
- China subject to confirmation of reciprocity
The Council of the European Union, the body through which member states coordinate policy, said it would continue monitoring the countries, including the United States, so the policy could change. To check the latest update on the EU's list, you can check the official EU website.
Mutual Regional Access
Easing mutual access has been a point of contention between the two regions.
The EU vaccination campaign has surpassed the US however, the US has maintained its rules barring entry to most European travellers. The persistent restrictions have exasperated many in Europe.
Critics of the US travel rule say it’s hurting businesses, dividing families and makes little epidemiological sense, as infection levels in the United States are far higher than in most EU countries.
We insist comparable rules be applied to arrivals in both directions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
“We keep reminding, asking, and encouraging our US friends to follow suit,” a spokesperson for Slovenia's EU presidency also said at the time.
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