BANNING OF THE BRITS
CORONAVIRUS AND BREXIT MEAN HOLS TRAVEL TO EUROPE MAY STOP ON JAN 1
BRITISH holidaymakers face a ban on travelling to Europe from New Year’s Day, ministers have admitted.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab accepted curbs are likely because of Brexit and the pandemic.
The EU has said that when the transition period ends on December 31 its coronavirus restrictions – barring nonessential visitors from outside the 27 member nations and European Economic Area – will apply to the UK.
Some non-EU countries – including Australia, New Zealand and South Korea – had been exempt since October because of their low infection rates.
But the EU said there were no plans to include Britain.
Mr Raab told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘Covid restrictions will depend on the combination of what the EU decides, but also member states.
‘We have already got challenges with that and we have put our own restrictions in place. I’m afraid restriction on travel, inevitably, is going to be something that is kept under review.’
It means most UK citizens could only travel to the EU if individual countries or the whole bloc lifted travel restrictions. The Financial Times, which revealed the ban, also said EEA member Norway had confirmed it will bar British visitors from New Year’s Day.
Before the coronavirus crisis, around 164million passengers a year travelled between the UK and the EU – that has shrunk by more than 80 per cent.
Flights booked for next year, which increased following positive news on vaccines, could now be at risk.
Travel for work, study or family emergencies would still be allowed under EU rules.