EU Countries Pressure the Bloc to Lift International Travel Bans

EU Countries Pressure the Bloc to Lift International Travel Bans
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Several European Union countries that are highly dependent on tourism for the health of their economies have started pushing their counterparts to open up their bloc of countries to non-EU travelers. It is believed that this push will be stressed at a summit that will take place later in March.

The EU as a whole essentially banned non-essential travel, including tourism, a year ago as countries throughout the world scrambled to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, including into their own from elsewhere. Several EU countries even closed their borders to other EU countries for a time.

Today, the focus is turning towards balancing keeping EU citizens safe with reopening the bloc to spur economic health as more and more people get vaccinated against the virus throughout the region.

Regardless, a number of EU countries are looking to remove some restrictions themselves if an agreement does not occur. However, if the EU as a whole does not do so, it is unsure what would happen if a traveler enters through one of the countries that relaxed restrictions and then went to a different one that did not.

One of the ones with plans to relax restrictions is Greece. It is looking to allow non-EU tourists who have been vaccinated or have proof of antibodies or a negative test result to start being allowed in on May 14.

Tourists at St Peter's Square, Vatican City

Meanwhile, Cyprus is looking to open up to vaccinated individuals from the United Kingdom on May 1 although the U.K. is planning to not allow its citizens to engage in any non-essential international travel until no earlier than May 17. Cyprus has already made a similar arrangement related to Israeli tourists from April 1.

Also, France has started allowing non-essential visitors from Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and United Kingdom to enter the country as long as they can produce a negative COVID-19 test result from a test that had been taken within 72 hours of traveling to France.

Spain and the Portuguese region of Madeira have revealed vaccinated-related reopening plans as well.

In addition, the EU initially proposed relaxing restrictions to non-EU visitors in July, based on countries that had low infection rates. However, that list shrunk as time passed. It currently holds Australia, China, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand. In addition, EU countries have been allowed to make their own judgements as far as adhering to it or not.

Tourists wearing face masks in Bordeaux, France

Within the EU, the country that has vaccinated the highest percentage of people is Malta: 27%. That nation is followed by Hungary (16%), Denmark (14%), Iceland (14%), Lithuania (12%), Estonia (12%) and Norway (12%). Meanwhile, non-EU members United Kingdom and Serbia sit at 36% and 27%.