EU to allow entry for fully jabbed British travellers without testing

‘A one-size-fits-all policy for the fully jabbed makes sense and would enable European economies to bounce back’

ALL fully jabbed British travellers will be allowed into the EU without tests under a travel blueprint to be approved by its council today.

Those aged six to 18 who have not been fully jabbed will also be allowed to travel into EU countries provided they have a negative pre-departure PCR test.

The plans, which will cover visitors from all non-eu countries including the UK, are designed to end the patchwork of different regulations that EU countries have used, causing confusion for many British travellers. Italy and the Netherlands currently require all UK travellers to have a negative lateral flow or PCR test before they can enter the countries. Italy also conducts random Covid testing on arrival and demands a rapid lateral flow test on entry

The European Commission is said to be “optimistic” most EU and EEA countries will implement the new EU Council recommendation, although they are not rules, so member states can deviate from them if they choose.

The regime will come into effect on March 1, well in advance of Easter school holidays in the first two weeks of April and is expected to apply to all those who had their second or third jab within 270 days of their arrival within the country.

The 20 per cent of adults in the UK who have not had a booster will be treated as unvaccinated if they have not been double-jabbed within 270 days of arrival. In Italy, this currently means five days’ self-isolation and in the Netherlands, a ban on entering.

The changes will mean travel protocols from outside the EU are aligned with those within the EU with the rules based on travellers’ personal health status rather than the epidemiological situation of the country or area of departure. Paul Charles, the chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “A one-size-fits-all policy for those who have been fully jabbed makes absolute sense and would enable European economies to bounce back faster. The one way to revive travel across Europe is to have a consistent policy for those coming from the UK, which is such a huge market for the EU.” Most countries are expected to retain passenger locator forms for arrivals although Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, is pressing to scrap the requirement in the UK by Easter.

As an interim measure, the forms, in which people must provide contact and travel details, are to be significantly simplified in the coming weeks.

The travel industry has been calling for the cumbersome documents to be scrapped, saying they are acting as a drag on British holiday firms.

But moves to get rid of the forms have been slowed down by objections from the Department of Health, which has been in favour of tougher curbs.

Tim Alderslade, the chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, said: “Ministers are absolutely right to remove the remaining restrictions but this needs to cut across all elements of the economy, including travel.

“If there is no requirement to self-isolate for those with Covid in the UK, jabbed or otherwise, there can be no justification for continuing with travel restrictions for the unvaccinated, including the continued use of the PLF which, although not as bad as testing, remains a deterrent to travel.”