Many have been predicting it for weeks. And well, now it appears it’s about to become a reality. Europe is set to reintroduce travel restrictions on the US – for unvaccinated American travelers.
The EU will most likely remove the US from its safe list of countries, who are welcome in Europe without curbs.
Diplomats meeting in Brussels have reportedly decided to head that way based on the Delta outbreak in the US.
The decision will become final on Monday, Reuters reports, if all member states agree.
What Will New Europe Travel Restrictions On US Mean?
The move to reinstate restrictions will likely see the return of quarantine and testing requirements for unvaccinated US travelers. Not only Americans, but passport holders from five other countries, Euro diplomats tipped Reuters. Israel is possibly among them.
The EU’s current safe list includes 23 countries that enjoy restriction-free travel.
Some member states already have individual curbs on US travelers. This will make those curbs an EU-wide thing – and apply within the Schengen zone.
After months of a one-way street on travel freedom between Europe and the US, Americans too are now being blocked at Europe’s door. But if the reports are right, it still stops short of banning Americans outright. Unlike the reverse case for Europeans wanting to head to the US.
New Curbs – Science Or Pay Back? … Both
Tit for tat? If it is, it’s a fair one. But in truth – it’s also about science – and Covid-19 stat’s. As sure as maintaining the US ban on Europeans has, for many critics, not been about science. At least, not when you look at the relative Covid case numbers. There has been no reason for continuing the ban on Europeans.
All the science dictated – as did fair play – that Europeans should get reciprocal travel rights to the US. But no. Trump’s ban inevitably became Biden’s ban. And it has stuck. No explanations given. Just hollow promises.
Many are fed up with that. And that no doubt includes most, if not all, European leaders. Both at The EU and national level. How could anyone look that lack of reciprocity in the face for much longer – as cases in the US spiral – and accept it?
Question of Reciprocity Weighs In On Move
Decisions on the EU’s safe list from the start – that is from March 2020 – have been based on Covid cases as well as reciprocity. Such reciprocity never came from China, for example. And so, Chinese visitors were still not welcome.
But Americans oddly were. Starting in June, and in time for summer. Probably because officials never imagined that reciprocal freedoms would not be forthcoming.
Americans and their travel plans will be thrown into disarray by this move. Thus, adding to all the other travel chaos that exists right now. And to the total lack of certainty Europeans have lived for18 months – when it comes to US travel plans.
**UPDATE: Most countries are currently taking a soft approach, and not making changes to rules. Italy is the first to crackdown on the unvaccinated, while bringing in extra testing rules for Vaccinated travelers too. Read that story here.
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