Today the Commission is proposing additional safeguards听and requirements听蹿辞谤听international travellers into the EU.听N别飞听肠辞谤辞苍补惫颈谤耻蝉听惫补谤颈补苍迟蝉听补苍诲听迟丑别听volatile听health situation worldwide call for further action to ensure听迟丑补迟听补苍测听travel to the EU听takes place听safely.听To reflect the latest scientific advice, the Commission is also proposing updated criteria taking into account听迟丑别听testing rate, testing positivity 补苍诲听诲别迟别肠迟颈辞苍听of variants of concern when deciding听on听迟丑别听application of听restrictions on non-essential travel听to the EU听to a specific non-EU country.听听
Additional safeguards听on travel from outside the EU听
Member States should introduce additional听measures to ensure that听travel听into听the EU takes place safely. This concerns听those travelling to the EU for essential reasons,听EU citizens and long-term residents as well as their family听members,听and听those travelling from countries for which 迟丑别听non-essential听travel restriction was lifted:听
- Mandatory testing before departure: Member States should require travellers to听have undertaken听a negative COVID-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test听before departure,听and submit听a proof of听such a negative test.听The test should be taken at the earliest听72听hours before departure; EU citizens,听residents听and their family members听should have the possibility to take the test after arrival.听Mandatory testing can be combined with听a requirement of听self-isolation, quarantine and contact tracing as well as additional testing as needed for a period of up to 14 days, provided that the Member State imposes the same requirements on听its听own nationals when travelling from the same non-EU country.听Exceptions could be decided for some categories of essential travellers听if such听requirements听would impede the very purpose of the travel.听In particular, transport and cross-border workers should be exempted from the requirement to present a negative PCR test and may only be requested to听present听a negative Rapid Antigen Test听on arrival.听There are also specific rules for aircrew.听听听
- Stricter measures听to address virus variants of concern:听For trips originating from countries听where a variant of concern of the virus has been detected,听Member States should听systematically impose safety measures such as self-isolation, quarantine and contact tracing for a period of up to 14 days. In particular,听travellers should be required to quarantine听and take additional tests upon or after arrival.听听
- Common European听Passenger Locator Form: Member States听should听require听those听entering the EU to submit a Passenger Locator Form听in accordance with applicable data protection requirements. A common European Passenger Locator Form should be developed听for this purpose.听听
Updated criteria听听
When considering whether to lift restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU from a non-EU country, the Council should consider听the case notification rate, the testing rate, the test positivity rate, as well as the incidence of variants of concern.听The听following criteria听should apply,听reflecting the听most recent scientific advice:听
- 14-day cumulative COVID-19听case notification rate听(i.e.听total number of newly notified COVID-19 cases per 100 000 population in the previous 14鈥痙ays at regional level)听not higher than听25;听
- Testing rate听(i.e.听number of tests for COVID-19 infection per 100鈥�000 population carried in the previous seven days) superior to 300;听
- Test positivity rate听(i.e.听percentage of positive tests among all tests for COVID-19 infection carried out in the previous seven days) not higher than 4%;听
- Nature of the virus present in the听country, in particular whether听variants of concern听of the virus听have been detected.
Member States should also continue to take account of 迟丑别听reciprocity听granted to EU countries.听听
In addition to these听updates听on travel from outside the EU, the Commission听is also听听today听a proposal to update 迟丑别听听coordinating measures affecting free movement听within the EU.听听
Next steps听
It is now for the Council to听consider听this proposal. A first discussion is scheduled in the Council’s integrated political crisis response (IPCR)听meeting听taking place听this afternoon.听Once the proposal is adopted, it will be for Member States to implement the additional safeguards听it听sets听out and review the list of non-EU countries from where restrictions should be lifted in light of the updated criteria.听The Council should continue reviewing the list听of countries exempted from the travel restriction听every 2 weeks, 补苍诲听update it听where relevant.听听
Background听听
A temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU is currently in place from many non-EU countries.听The Council听regularly reviews, and where relevant updates,听the list of countries from where travel is possible, based on the evaluation of the health situation. The听Council last updated that听list on听.听
This restriction听covers non-essential travel only. Those who have an essential reason to come to Europe听should听continue听be able to do so, subject to the safeguards outlined in the proposal.听That includes听categories of travellers listed in Annex II of 迟丑别听.听EU citizens and long-term residents as well as their family听members听should also be allowed to enter the EU.听Today’s proposal does not change the听categories of travellers exempted听from the听restriction.听听
To assist Member States in听consistently听applying the restriction, the Commission issued听on 28 October 2020听听on categories of persons considered to be essential听travellers听and therefore exempted from restrictions.听
On 19 January,听ahead of the meeting of European leaders on a coordinated response to 迟丑别听coronavirus听crisis, the Commission set out a number of actions needed to step up the fight against the pandemic.听听
At their听videoconference听meeting of 21 January 2021,听EU Heads of State or Government听acknowledged that the Council may need to review its recommendations on non-essential travels into the EU in light of the risks posed by the new virus variants.听Following the meeting,听President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the Commission听would propose additional safety measures for essential travel from outside the EU.听听听
Today’s proposal updates the Council recommendation on听the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU.听
The latest information on听the rules applying to entry from non-EU countries as communicated by Member States听are available on the听.听听
ec.europa.eu
