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EC proposes re-opening non-essential travel to the EU

EC proposes re-opening non-essential travel to the EU

5 May 2021: The European Commission has put forward a proposal on reopening non-essential travel from outside of the EU. Once the proposal is adopted by the Council - hopefully in the coming days - it will be for Member States to implement the measures set out in the non-binding recommendation.

ERA welcomes this proposal since it is in line with what we were aiming at: 

  • The EU COVID certificate is a tool foreseen with the aim to help travellers cross borders.
  • No additional measures such as quarantine or further testing should be imposed on travellers presenting a valid EU COVID-19 Certificate.
  • Travellers who have been vaccinated before the Regulation enters into force should be able to receive an EU-Covid certificate as soon as possible.

Main points of the proposal:

  • The Commission proposes that Member States (MS) lift restrictions on non-essential travel for vaccinated persons travelling to the EU. This reflects the latest scientific advice showing that vaccination considerably helps to break the transmission chain.

Anyone who has received the last dose of an EU-approved vaccine at least two weeks beforehand will be permitted to travel. MS could also extend this to those vaccinated with a vaccine having completed the WHO emergency use listing process. In addition, if MS decide to waive the requirements to present a negative PCR test and/or to undergo quarantine for vaccinated persons on their territory, they should also waive such requirements for vaccinated travellers from outside the EU.

This should be facilitated once the Digital Green Certificate becomes operational. In particular, travellers should be able to prove their vaccination status with a Digital Green Certificate issued by MS authorities on an individual basis, or with another certificate recognised as equivalent by virtue of a Commission adequacy decision.

Until the Digital Green Certificate is operational, MS should be able to accept certificates from non-EU countries based on national law, taking into account the ability to verify the authenticity, validity and integrity of the certificate and whether it contains all relevant data.

MS could consider setting up a portal allowing travellers to ask for the recognition of a vaccination certificate issued by a non-EU country as reliable proof of vaccination and/or for the issuance of a Digital Green Certificate. Children who are excluded from vaccination should be able to travel with their vaccinated parents if they have a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken at the earliest 72 hours before arrival area. In these cases, Member States could require additional testing after arrival.

  • Full lifting of non-essential travel restriction from more countries:

Non-essential travel regardless of individual vaccination status is currently permitted from seven countries with a good epidemiological situation. The EC is proposing to amend the criteria to take into account the mounting evidence of the positive impact of vaccination campaigns. The proposal is to increase the threshold of 14-day cumulative COVID-19 case notification rate from 25 to 100. This remains considerably below the current EU average, which is over 420. The adapted threshold should allow the Council to expand the list of countries from which non-essential travel is permitted regardless of vaccination status, subject to health-related measures such as testing and/or quarantine. has reported that countries that will be granted non-essential travel access will need to have a "good epidemiological situation". To illustrate, currently, Israel would likely make it, but there would be a'question mark over the UK, and the US would not currently qualify.

As now, the Council should review this list at least every two weeks.

  • 'Emergency brake' to counter the spread of variants:

The proposal also comes with an 'emergency brake' which would allow states to act quickly and temporarily limit travel from any countries it wishes  and in particular if a variant of concern or interest is detected.The only exceptions in this case would be healthcare professionals, transport personnel, diplomats, transit passengers, those travelling for imperative family reasons, seafarers, and persons in need of international protection or for other humanitarian reasons. Such travellers should be subject to strict testing and quarantine arrangements even if they have been vaccinated. When a MS applies such restrictions, the Member States meeting within the Council structures should review the situation together in a co-ordinated manner and in close cooperation with the Commission, and they should continue doing so at least every two weeks.