The restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU should be largely lifted – and the threat from new virus variants should instead be handled through a so-called emergency brake mechanism, the European Commission proposes.
The Commission currently wants to introduce relief for travellers from countries with ”a good epidemiological situation” and for people who are fully vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine, according to a press release. People who have received their last dose of vaccine no later than 14 days before entry will be able to enter the EU, according to the proposal. Children are exempt from the rules and are allowed to enter the EU with their vaccinated parents if they can show a negative Covid test taken within the last 72 hours.
In the long term, this can be expanded to people who have received the vaccines that have received emergency approval from the World Health Organization (WHO).
As for the 'emergency brake', it is intended to allow Member States to quickly impose temporary restrictions on travel from a particularly affected country.
Member states are expected to start discussing the proposal at technical level on Tuesday, followed by a meeting at EU ambassadorial level on Wednesday. Once the heads of state and government have given their approval, it will be up to member states to implement the changes.
