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EU aims to open up to more foreign tourists this summer despite COVID-19

epa08398802 The golden statues of the Trocadero esplanade, in front of the Eiffel Tower, are covered with protective face masks in Paris, France, 03 May 2020. French government plans to decreases containment measures and traffic restrictions taken to stop the widespread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus from 11 May and to make mandatory to wear a protective mask on public transportation. EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

BRUSSELS, May 3 (Reuters) - The European Union's executive has recommended easing COVID-19 travel restrictions next month to let foreign travellers from more countries enter the EU, hoping to boost the stricken tourism industry this summer.

* European Commission hopes to boost summer tourism

* COVID-19 pandemic has hit tourism badly in EU

* New proposals would ease restrictions on entering EU (Adds quotes, details)

By Gabriela Baczynska

Under current restrictions, people from only seven countries, including Australia and Singapore, can enter the EU on holiday, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated against COVID19 but subject to tests or quarantine.

New proposals outlined by the European Commission on Monday, but still requiring member states’ approval, would allow in foreign citizens who have been fully vaccinated and those who arrive from countries with a “good epidemiological situation”.

“Time to revive tourism industry and for cross-border friendships to rekindle – safely,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter.

People arriving from Britain, Russia and a number of other countries would meet the new criteria, according to data provided by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). U.S. citizens would not currently do so.

“We want to have this done before the mass summer travel starts,” an EU official said.

The 27 EU member states are due to start discussing the proposal on Tuesday and the official hoped it would be approved this month.

 

BIG LOSSES

Travel restrictions because of COVID19 have inflicted heavy losses on the tourism industry in the EU, which at times has struggled to agree a common position as it responds to the pandemic.

If the new proposals are agreed, specific EU countries would be expected – but not legally obliged – to follow the new joint approach. Greece has already agreed to welcome vaccinated tourists from Israel.

The Commission recommended allowing people fully inoculated with EU-recognised vaccines to be able to enter from any country, and said other vaccines could be added if they are approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The European Medicines Agency has authorised the use of shots by Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca in the EU.

The WHO has also approved those vaccines for use and is expected to decide on the use of two Chinese vaccines this week. Both agencies are considering approval for Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine.

The Commission said reciprocity should be considered when deciding on its proposals to allow leisure travel from third countries.

To limit the risk of importing new coronavirus variants, the Commission also proposed a new “emergency brake” that would allow the swift introduction of travel restrictions from countries where the health situation deteriorates sharply.

EU countries would review the situation every two weeks, it said. Other measures to be in place by the summer include a central EU register allowing free travel for the bloc’s citizens who have been vaccinated, have had a negative COVID19 test or have immunity after recovering. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by John Chalmers and Timothy Heritage)

Information pertaining to Covid-19, vaccines, how to control the spread of the virus and potential treatments is ever-changing. Under the South African Disaster Management Act Regulation 11(5)(c) it is prohibited to publish information through any medium with the intention to deceive people on government measures to address COVID-19. We are therefore disabling the comment section on this article in order to protect both the commenting member and ourselves from potential liability. Should you have additional information that you think we should know, please email [email protected]

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