The European Union allowed non-essential travel from the United States and 12 other countries

The Council of the European Union (EU), the body in which Community Club countries are represented, On Friday, the United States and 12 other countries were included in the list of safe countries from an epidemiological point of view, whose Citizens can travel to the EU for fun and not just for basic reasons.

The proposal to add the United States was raised by Portugal, the country that chairs the council this semester, and was approved on Wednesday at a meeting of ambassadors of member states to the European Union (Coreper).

Now the green light for the European Foundation Activated by publishing the updated list القائمةwhich are reviewed every two weeks.

The other countries from which EU countries can gradually lift restrictions on Friday are Albania, Australia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand.

In addition, in a statement, the board noted this as well Non-essential travel from China’s special administrative regions is allowed in Hong Kong and Macau, which has hitherto required the principle of reciprocity, while still maintaining this condition China.

In this way the citizens of these areas They will be able to enter the European Union regardless of whether the same conditions apply to the Europeans they are traveling to.

It is also recommended that non-essential travel from Taiwan be allowed.

The European Union has banned visitors from the United States and other countries considered high-risk during the pandemic, freezing the usual flow of visitors. In 2019 alone, more than 17 million people traveled to Europe from the United States.

The criteria for determining the third countries from which travel restrictions should be lifted were updated on May 20.

To determine which ones are on that list, the epidemiological situation and general response to COVID-19, as well as the reliability and availability of the information, are taken into account. For citizens of the countries included in the list, each member state decides whether or not to impose quarantine on them upon their arrival in its territory.

(With information from EFE)

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