EU Commission Proposes Letting Vaccinated People Enter Bloc For Non-Essential Travels

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th November, 2021) The European Commission proposes to allow entry to the European Union for those vaccinated against COVID-19, irrespective of citizenship, for non-essential purposes starting March 1, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on Thursday.

"What we have decided today in the commission is that we will have new rules for traveling into the European Union from third countries from March 1... People that are coming on essential travel can always go into the European Union. Then, today we have a list of countries where non-essential travel is possible. This list contains today around 20 countries. Now, we are moving away from this country-based approach to an individual-based approach. That means that... all people that are vaccinated can come into the European Union," Johansson told a press conference.

Vaccinated people are those who have received both shots of any vaccine recognized by the European Union, with the last injection being made no later than nine months prior to entry, the commissioner explained.

However, the bloc might also authorize entry for those who have recovered from COVID-19 if a corresponding test result is submitted, according to Johansson. The European Commission also recommended member countries receive those vaccinated with doses approved by the World Health Organization on presentation of a PCR test result.

On Monday, European tourism companies appealed to EU authorities with a joint letter asking them not to impose travel restrictions before winter holidays amid a rise in new COVID-19 cases. The EU tourism industry called on the bloc to work out universal measures of dealing with the pandemic, meaning a common approach to COVID-19 passports, testing, and so on.