EU Reimposes Virus Travel Restrictions On Algeria

Brussels, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Jul, 2020 ) :The EU in effect reimposed travel restrictions on Algeria on Wednesday, removing it from a list of relatively safe countries after a resurgence of coronavirus cases in the north African state.

Governments have restricted inbound travel from outside the EU in order to slow the spread of the epidemic, but on July 1 began reopening their borders to travellers from an approved and regularly reviewed list of states.

That list has now been reduced to only 12 countries, the European Council announced, although China will be added if and when it grants EU travellers reciprocal access.

Though the final decision on who to admit rests with national governments, the decision effectively bans travel from Algeria to the EU.

An EU diplomat said Algeria's neighbour Morocco would stay on the safe list but would be kept under close watch.

Algeria has seen a rise in coronavirus cases, with 675 infections -- a one-day record for the country -- recorded on Friday.

The EU's safe list -- which is reviewed every two weeks -- also includes Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.

Britain, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and the Vatican are considered part of the EU travel area for the purposes of this list.

But non-essential travel from large countries like the United States, Russia, Brazil and India is still restricted.

The travel list is not binding on member states, and some -- such as Hungary -- have imposed tighter measures of their own.