Council suggestion on journey into the EU

The EU has been working along with member states to include the unfold of the virus and assist nationwide healthcare programs in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To decelerate the transmission of the virus, EU leaders agreed on 17 March 2020 on a coordinated short-term restriction of non-essential journey to the EU, which utilized till 30 June 2020.

In June 2020, the Council adopted a suggestion on short-term restrictions on non-essential journey into the EU and the attainable lifting of such restrictions. The advice was final up to date on 22 February 2022.

Who ought to be allowed to journey into the EU?

In response to the advice, the next classes of individuals ought to be allowed to journey into the EU below sure circumstances:

• vaccinated and recovered individuals
• important travellers
• non-essential travellers from nations on the EU’s checklist

Vaccinated and recovered individuals

Travellers ought to be allowed to enter the EU in the event that they meet one of many following circumstances:

• they’ve accomplished the full main vaccination collection of a COVID-19 vaccine accepted by the EU or the World Well being Group (WHO) and fewer than 270 days have handed for the reason that completion of that collection
• they’ve acquired a booster of an EU or WHO accepted COVID-19 vaccine
• they’ve recovered from COVID-19 inside 180 days previous to journey

Member states ought to use the EU digital COVID certificates or third- nation equal certificates as proof of vaccination and restoration.

For individuals vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine, member states may additionally require a adverse PCR take a look at taken on the earliest 72 hours earlier than departure and will apply extra measures akin to quarantine or isolation.

A adverse PCR take a look at earlier than departure is also required for individuals who’ve recovered from COVID-19, in addition to for individuals who’ve been vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine however don’t maintain an EU or equal certificates.

Important travellers 

The place journey restrictions proceed to use, the next classes of individuals ought to be exempt, no matter the place they’re travelling from:

• EU residents and their relations
• long-term EU residents and their relations

Journey also needs to be allowed for travellers with an important operate or want, together with:

• healthcare and elderly-care professionals, well being researchers
• frontier staff, seasonal staff in agriculture, transport personnel and seafarers
• extremely certified staff if their employment is important and the work can’t be postponed or carried out overseas
• diplomats, workers of worldwide organisations, army personnel and humanitarian assist staff
• passengers in transit
• passengers travelling for crucial household causes
• individuals in want of worldwide safety or travelling for different humanitarian causes
• individuals travelling for the aim of research

Non-essential travellers from nations on the checklist 

The checklist of nations for which member states ought to progressively carry the journey restrictions is reviewed and, the place acceptable, up to date each two weeks. Non-essential travellers from nations on the checklist ought to be allowed to journey into the EU.

The checklist was final up to date on 17 January 2022 and consists of:

• Bahrain
• Chile
• China (topic to affirmation of reciprocity)
• Colombia
• Indonesia
• Kuwait
• New Zealand
• Qatar
• Peru
• Rwanda 
• Saudi Arabia
• South Korea
• United Arab Emirates 
• Uruguay

Journey restrictions also needs to be progressively lifted for the 2 particular administrative areas of China:

Underneath the class of entities and territorial authorities that aren’t recognised as states by a minimum of one member state, journey restrictions for Taiwan also needs to be progressively lifted.

Residents of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican ought to be thought-about as EU residents for the aim of the advice.

The factors for figuring out the non-EU nations for which the present journey restriction ought to be lifted cowl, particularly, the epidemiological scenario and containment measures, together with bodily distancing, and financial and social issues. They’re utilized cumulatively.

The next standards regarding the epidemiological scenario are thought-about when deciding whether or not a non-EU nation ought to be listed:

• no more than 100 new COVID-19 circumstances per 100 000 inhabitants over the past 14 days
• a secure or reducing development of recent circumstances over a interval compared to the earlier 14 days
• greater than 600 exams per 100 000 inhabitants carried out over the earlier seven days
• no more than 4% optimistic exams amongst all COVID-19 exams carried out within the earlier seven days
• the character of the virus current in a rustic, particularly whether or not variants of curiosity or concern have been detected
• the nation’s total response to COVID-19

Reciprocity also needs to be taken into consideration frequently and on a case-by-case foundation.

The European Fee will evaluate the advice by 30 April 2022 and can assess whether or not or to not preserve the checklist of nations. The Fee ought to report back to the Council and will undergo it, as acceptable, a proposal to delete the checklist.

Youngsters

Youngsters over 6 and below 18 who fulfil the circumstances set out for adults ought to be allowed to journey.

As well as, all different kids over 6 and below 18 ought to be allowed to journey with a adverse PCR take a look at taken on the earliest 72 hours earlier than departure. Member states may require extra testing after arrival, in addition to quarantine or isolation.

No testing or extra necessities ought to be utilized to kids below the age of 6.

Emergency brake mechanism

The place the epidemiological scenario of a 3rd nation or area worsens rapidly, particularly if a variant of concern or of curiosity has been detected, member states ought to undertake an pressing, short-term restriction on all journey into the EU.

This emergency brake shouldn’t apply to EU residents, long-term EU residents and sure classes of important travellers, who ought to nonetheless be topic to acceptable testing and quarantine measures, even when absolutely vaccinated. Such restrictions ought to be reviewed a minimum of each two weeks.

If the emergency brake is triggered, EU nations ought to focus on attainable coordinated measures within the Council, in shut cooperation with the European Fee.

The Council suggestion is just not a legally binding instrument. The authorities of the member states stay answerable for implementing its content material.
As Schengen-associated nations, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have additionally agreed to the advice.

Make your journey plan on Re-open EU

Re-open EU is an app and an internet site providing all of the important data on borders, accessible technique of transport, journey restrictions, public well being and security measures akin to bodily distancing or sporting of face masks, in addition to different sensible data for travellers.

You should utilize the journey planner to plan your travels safely between EU nations.

All the data is obtainable within the 24 official EU languages.

Consular help for EU residents overseas

Underneath EU regulation, residents are entitled to search assist from the embassy or consulate of any EU nation aside from their very own in the event that they discover themselves in a scenario the place they want help outdoors the EU, with no accessible embassy or consulate from their very own EU member state.

The European Fee and the European Exterior Motion Service assist in bringing dwelling stranded EU residents from all around the world, whereas Member States situation recommendation about methods to deal with the journey restrictions. EU residents in want of help outdoors the EU are inspired to contact their member state.