European Union countries have agreed on a set of rules to facilitate travel between member states

The countries of the European Union (EU) on Friday approved new rules to facilitate travel within Community territory, in view of the summer, in particular by exempting the children of vaccinated parents from quarantine when they travel from one country to another or when children under 12 are exempt from screening for covid.

The approval of the new rules was given with “a broad consensus ”the ambassadors of the Twenty-Seven to the European institutions in a meeting, known as Coreper, to ease restrictions on free movement, the Portuguese EU Presidency said in a tweet.

It is restore “responsible” freedom of movementsaid the Portuguese presidency, which will end its six-month term on June 30.

“Minors traveling with their parents or another accompanying person should not be forced to undergo travel-related quarantine / self-isolation“When they will be vaccinated, specifies the text which received the green light from the ambassadors on Friday.

In addition, the text adds that “Children under 12 should be exempted from having to undergo travel-related tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection”.

In general, the text prescribes that People who are fully vaccinated and have vaccination certificates are exempt from virus detection or quarantine tests, 14 days after receiving the last dose.

This exemption from restrictions is also valid for people cured of the virus during the first 180 days after a positive PCR test.

Regarding screening tests, people with a valid test certificate should be exempt from any quarantine requirements.

The text establishes a standard validity period for tests: 72 hours for PCR and, when accepted by a Member State, 48 hours for rapid antigen testing.

In these new travel rules the EU mechanism for assessing health risks is relaxed, but an “emergency brake” system is introduced allowing countries to introduce restrictions if disturbing changes appear.

There is currently a harmonized color map classifying EU zones from green (safe) to orange (medium risk), red (high risk) and dark red (very high risk), while gray indicates a lack of information.

Travel from green spaces must be free of restrictions, and travelers without immunity must be able to travel without restrictions from the orange zones, red or gray with a pre-departure test.

During a ceremony at the European Parliament, the the leaders of the three main community institutions plan to promulgate the digital covid certificate next Monday, with which the Twenty-seven hope to regain mobility with fewer restrictions for the summer.

By virtue of this certificate, which will officially enter into force on July 1, although some countries like Spain have gone ahead, member states have pledged to try to avoid imposing measures such as quarantines, although they reserve the right to do so in a proportionate manner if necessary.

The 12-month certificate will be binding across the EU for vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which has so far validated the medicines of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Astrazeneca and Jannsen.

With information from the EFE

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