EU begins lifting travel restrictions for 17 countries
Following a review on the gradual lifting of restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the European Council has made recommendations to slowly lift restrictions on 17 countries
The European Council decided not to include Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and the US. 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 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
The criteria to determine the third countries for which the current travel restriction should be lifted cover the epidemiological situation and overall response to Covid-19, as well as the reliability of the available information and data sources.