After four months of travel bans, Europe will soon officially be open to visitors from some 54 countries. Not the U.S. Nor Brazil, Qatar and Russia. Australia, Canada, China, Costa Rica and Turkey yes.
After much debate, particularly over criteria for inclusion, the list of approved countries should be revealed this week. It will be reviewed every two weeks.
But according to Euronews, the forecast date of July 1 for EU border reopening may be delayed. As officials fail to decide which countries will make it to the welcome list, and those who will not.
There is also heated discussion, it claims, about the criteria being used to determine the two lists. “When EU guidelines were released two weeks ago officials said the list would take into account the infection rate in countries concerned,” based on epidemiological data.
“There are now 54 on the acceptable draft list … it’s clear these numbers may continue to fluctuate.”
54 Countries Welcome, Give Or Take A Few Maybe
Here are those countries, in alphabetic order, for whom Europe plans to lift the travel ban. They are the ones who’ve so far made it onto a draft list for Europe’s international tourism comeback. Euronews says it obtained the list “from EU diplomatic sources” on Thursday.
On top of Canada and Caribbean nations, it includes many Southeastern and Central European countries as expected. As well as Africa, the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia.
About 50 nations have been put on a barred list. Borders will not reopen to them. More details should come early this week.
Some Countries May Flout Recommendations
Travelers from the UK are being treated like fellow Europeans during the Brexit transition period. Until the end of the year, they enjoy unrestricted travel and are exempt from the travel ban. The UK too plans to keep Americans at bay, with a quarantine on arrival.
The EU’s recommendations to members are just that. The 30 countries who applied the travel ban since March 17 are not bound to enforce them. Some may choose to keep their borders closed to international even some European travelers. Others like Greece may welcome visitors from the banned list, of countries with high Covid-19 infection rates.
EU officials say the list will be updated taking into account the health situation in other countries, and their Covid-19 response. But there’s another factor that weighs in heavily: Whether the country has lifted travel restrictions on the EU. Something that is still not the case with President Trump’s Europe travel ban.
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Australia
Bahamas
Bhutan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canada
China
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Egypt
Ethiopia
Georgia
Guyana
India
Indonesia
Jamaica
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Lebanon
Mauritius
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
North Korea
Palau
Paraguay
Rwanda
Saint Lucia
Serbia
South Korea
Tajikistan
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
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