New recommendations on travel to EU member countries arrive from the European Council, which will start on March 1, 2022. “States – it reads – should authorize non-essential travel by people vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the EU or by the ‘WHO, people recovered and all people traveling from a country that is on the EU list. For some of these travelers, additional measures may be applied, such as PCR tests before travel “.
The changes introduced respond to the evolution of the pandemic, the increasing vaccination coverage and the administration of booster doses. As well as the recognition of an increasing number of certificates issued by third countries as equivalent to the European Green Pass. But, the Council recalls, the recommendation is not a legally binding instrument: Member State authorities remain responsible for implementing the content of the recommendation.
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People vaccinated and cured
According to the recommendation, Member States should lift the temporary restriction of non-essential travel to the EU for people vaccinated with an EU or WHO approved vaccine, provided they have received the last dose of the primary vaccination course at least 14 days and no more than 270 days prior to arrival or have received a booster dose.
Member States should also lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel for people who have recovered from Covid-19 in the 180 days prior to traveling to the European Union.
For people vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine, a negative molecular test (PCR) may be required no more than 72 hours prior to departure and additional measures such as quarantine or isolation may apply. A negative PCR test before departure may also be required for people recovered from Covid-19, as well as for people who have been vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine but who do not have a European Green Pass or certificate. equivalent.
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The minors
Children between the ages of 6 and 18 who meet the established requirements for adults (vaccination or recovery) should be allowed to travel. Those who are not vaccinated or cured of Covid should be able to travel with a negative molecular taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Member States may require further testing after arrival, as well as quarantine or isolation. No tests or other restrictions for under 6s.
Towards the cancellation of the lists of countries
The parameters for entering the list of third countries for which to revoke the restrictions for all travelers also change: according to the new rules, the number of Covid-19 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in the last 14 days has increased from 75 to 100. The weekly rate of tests per 100,000 inhabitants also increased from 300 to 600 tests.
Other existing criteria continue to apply, including a stable or decreasing trend in new cases, a 4% positivity rate across all tests performed, progress in vaccination, the presence of variants of interest or of concern and the overall response to COVID-19 in the country. Reciprocity should continue to be taken into account on a case-by-case basis.
But according to the European Council it is appropriate to start considering the transition to an approach based solely on the person and move towards deleting the list of countries. Therefore, in order to give third countries time to increase their vaccination rates, the Council suggests that the recommendation should be reviewed by the Commission by 30 April 2022.