The European Union on Monday (August 30) advised its member states to re-impose travel restrictions on U.S. tourists due to the rising number of new coronavirus infections in the country.
The European Council, which represents the 27 governments of the European Union, said it will remove 6 regions from its list of locations that are not subject to unnecessary travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement said: “Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, the Republic of Northern Macedonia and the United States of America have been removed from the list.”
This move is not binding on capitals. Despite fears that the number of Covid cases in the country will continue to increase, capitals of various countries may still choose to allow fully vaccinated American travelers to visit.
But so far, most EU member states have followed Brussels’ travel advice during the crisis.
The statement said: “This does not affect the possibility of member states removing temporary restrictions on non-essential travel of fully vaccinated passengers to the EU.”
Non-essential travel into the European Union from outside the European Union and eight related countries—Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican—is restricted.
However, some countries and regions have been excluded from this list, but their numbers have been declining in recent months and now only include 17 members. If Beijing responds, add China.
The European Union recommends that its member states remove restrictions on non-essential travel from the United States before the summer tourist season.
This decision comes as the United States is making significant progress in its vaccination program.
With the spread of the more contagious Delta variant and the refusal of vaccinations by a large population, the number of cases in the country has skyrocketed.
The U.S. aviation industry condemned Brussels’ latest move and insisted that it will continue its dialogue with member states to “put the safety and well-being of all passengers first.
“The EU’s proposal is a step backwards, which obviously disappoints the U.S. aviation industry, which has been working hard to safely restore transatlantic services,” said the U.S. lobby group “Airlines”.
“With the reopening of the European Union, Americans have been eager to buy tickets, pack up and reunite with relatives they haven’t seen in nearly two years.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the United States has been closed to most international travelers, especially Europeans, even after the reopening of the European Union.
However, the White House said on Monday that it is considering reconsidering its rules.
“We continue to work with federal agencies to develop a consistent and safe international travel policy. This includes travel in Europe,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
She said: “This will involve stepping up efforts to protect the American people, including possibly strengthening testing agreements for international travel. It may also involve ensuring that foreign citizens who come to the United States over time are fully vaccinated, with limited exceptions.”
