US excluded from EU safe list for travel

BRUSSELS: The United States is not on a “safe list” of destinations for nonessential travel due to be unveiled by European Union governments later, three diplomats said.

The 27-member bloc was expected to give outline approval to leisure or business travel from today to 14 countries beyond its borders after midday Brussels time yesterday, the diplomats said.

The countries are Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay, they said.

Russia and Brazil, along with the United States, are among countries that do not make the initial “safe list”.

China was to be provisionally approved, although travel would only open up if Chinese authorities also allowed in EU visitors. Reciprocity is a condition of being on the safe list.

The list must be passed by a “qualified majority” of EU countries, meaning 15 EU countries representing 65% of the population. Four EU diplomats said they expected it to secure the required backing.

The list will act as a recommendation to EU members, meaning they will almost certainly not allow access to travellers from other countries, but could potentially set restrictions on those entering from the 14 nations.

The EU’s efforts to reopen internal borders, particularly among the 26-nation Schengen area which normally has no frontier checks, have been patchy as various countries have restricted access for certain visitors.

Greece is mandating Covid-19 tests for arrivals from a range of EU countries, including France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, and the Czech Republic is not allowing in tourists from Portugal and Sweden.

British residents can also travel to many EU countries, although nonessential travellers to the UK are required to self-isolate.