The European Union Council updated the list of countries, special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities on Monday (Aug 30) for which travel restrictions should be lifted. The Council of the European Union decided to remove Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and the United States of America from the safe travel list.
“Nonessential travel to the EU from countries or entities not listed (on the safe list) … is subject to temporary travel restriction,” the council said in a statement. “This is without prejudice to the possibility for member states to lift the temporary restriction on nonessential travel to the EU for fully vaccinated travellers.”
Based on the criteria and conditions set out in the recommendation, as from 30 August 2021, member states should gradually lift the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the following third countries:
- Albania
- Armenia
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bosnia and Hercegovina
- Brunei Darussalam
- Canada
- Japan
- Jordan
- New Zealand
- Qatar
- Republic of Moldova
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Ukraine
- China, subject to confirmation of reciprocity
Travel restrictions should also be gradually lifted for the special administrative regions of China Hong Kong and Macao.
Under the category of entities and territorial authorities that are not recognised as states by at least one member state, travel restrictions for Taiwan should also be gradually lifted.
Residents of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican should be considered as EU residents for the purpose of this recommendation.
U.S. travellers would have to be immunized with one of the vaccines approved by the bloc, which includes Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson.
Possible restrictions on U.S. travellers could include quarantines, further testing requirements upon arrival or even a total ban on all nonessential travel from the U.S.
