The European Union Officially Blocks U.S. Travelers Entry when Borders Reopen on July 1st
Due to safety concerns because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the movement of people from one country to another, has been highly regulated in the European Union. The member states have put in place rigorous measures to contain the spread of the virus and to regulate and decrease the cases of Covid-19 among its citizens. And so they find themselves in the position of being able to re-open their external borders with conditions and regulations that control who will be able to enter. One of the most thorough circumstances that the member states have been taking into consideration for this reopening is the level of safety from Covid-19 contagion that has been maintained in the countries from where the travelers will be entering.
The member states of the European Union had drafted two lists: one for the countries that will be allowed to enter, and one for those that will not be allowed to enter when external borders reopen on July 1st. Since first released by sources to the press, the lists aroused controversy because the United States - the worst-affected country worldwide by COVID-19 with more than 2.4 million cases, was on the list of countries that the EU was not going to allow to enter.
Now, with the official statement released, it can be confirmed that indeed, amongst other countries, the United States, Brazil and Russia are not on the approved list.
What are the Countries Whose Nationals Will be Allowed to Enter Europe?
The Countries whose nationals will be allowed entry since July 1st, are listed as follow:
- Algeria
- Australia
- Canada
- Georgia
- Japan
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Rwanda
- Serbia
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Tunisia
- Uruguay
What about China?
China is under the list of countries whose nationals are allowed entry to the European Union, but this entry is subject to a confirmation of reciprocity. Meaning that Chinese nationals would be allowed entry to the EU under the condition that EU citizens are allowed to travel there as well.
Which list is the UK on?
Neither. According to the European Commission, UK nationals are still to be treated in the same way as EU citizens until the end of the Brexit transition period- 31.12.2020.
What is this Decision Based On?
When EU guidelines were released a few weeks ago, officials said the list would take into account the infection rate in countries concerned.
The criteria are based on epidemiological data but there is disagreement between nations on the criteria to use for this decision because some nations maintain that data about COVID rates is not reliable and thus is not sufficient.
How long will these travel restrictions last?
There is no certainty as to when the restrictions will be lifted altogether, but sources have revealed that the lists of countries will be reviewed every two weeks.
