The European Union has offered its members to accept vaccinated travelers outside the bloc

The European Commission (EC) on Monday proposed that member states ease health restrictions for non-essential travelers entering the European Union, according to “Progress of vaccination campaigns“And activate a”emergency break“For new variants of the coronavirus.

The EU executive pleads to “allow entry into the EU for non-essential reasons not only for all people countries with a good epidemiological situationbut also to everyone who received the last recommended dose of a vaccine authorized by the EU ‘, the Commission said in a statement.

“This could be extended to vaccines that have completed the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Use List process ”, adds the EC.

However, it is the Member States, represented in the Council of the EU, that make decisions on their borders during the pandemic, even if these limit the freedom of movement guaranteed by the EU treaties.

The condition proposed is that travelers have been vaccinated at least 14 days before their arrival in Europe

The Commission wants Member States allow “persons who received, at least 14 days before arrival, the last recommended dose of an approved vaccine” to enter the EU. of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), i.e. Pfizer, Modern, AstraZeneca Yes Jannsen.

“It should be made easier once The green digital certificate goes into service ” and for this, travelers should “be able to prove your vaccination status with a digital green certificate issued by the authorities of each Member State or with another certificate recognized as equivalent, ”he says.

Brussels adds that “if Member States decide to waive the requirements for submitting a negative PCR test and / or quarantine for people vaccinated on their territory, they must also waive these requirements for vaccinated travelers from the outside the EU “.

Regarding the kids excluded from vaccination, the Commission suggests that “must be able to travel with their vaccinated parents if they have a negative COVID-19 PCR test passed at least 72 hours before arrival area ”and adds that in such cases Member States could“ require additional evidence after arrival ”.

The Commission also proposes that raise the “threshold related to the number of new cases of COVID-19 applied to determine a list of countries (Australia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and China, if the latter applies reciprocity) from which all journeys are to be authorized “, currently set between 25 and 100 new cases per 100,000 population in the last 14 days.

“This remains considerably lower than the current EU average, which is above 420”, underlines the Commission, which invites the Council to widen this list “of seven countries whose travelers are accepted, which, for practical purposes, functions as a simple recommendation.

“EMERGENCY BRAKE” FOR NEW STRAINS

In parallel, Brussels wants to activate an “emergency brake” for the new variants “Which will be coordinated at EU level and which would limit the risk of such variants entering the EU.”

“This will allow Member States act quickly and temporarily limit all travel from affected countries to the strict minimum for as long as necessary to apply the appropriate health measures, ”the Commission said in a press release.

If the situation in a country deteriorates rapidly, and in particular if a new strain of concern is detected, countries can “urgently and temporarily suspend all return journeys of third country nationals residing in that country”, according to the Commission proposal.

“The only exceptions in this case would be medical professionals, transport personnel, diplomats, transit passengers, those traveling for compelling family reasons., seafarers and people in need of international protection or for other humanitarian reasons, ”says the EC.

The Commission proposal should be analyzed on May 4 by countries at technical level then debated by the ambassadors of EU countries to the EC.

European sources have indicated that they are awaiting these recommendations can be approved “at the end of the month”.

(With information from EFE)

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