EU removes United States from Covid safe list for non-essential travel

The European Council on Monday recommended that its 27 member states reimpose travel restrictions on US tourists because of the rising number of coronavirus infections being reported in America.

AFP - DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS

The European Council, which represents the bloc's 27 governments, said it was taking six territories off its list of locations exempted from restrictions on non-essential travel during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and the United States of America were removed from the list," a statement said.

The move is not binding on national capitals, which may yet choose to allow fully vaccinated US travellers to visit, despite concerns about rising numbers of Covid cases in the States.

But most EU members have followed Brussels' travel advice during the crisis so far.

Non-essential travel into the bloc from outside the EU and eight associated countries -- Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican -- has been restricted.

Steadily shrinking safe list

Some countries and territories, however, have been exempted from this list, but their number has been shrinking in recent months and now includes only 17 members, plus China if Beijing reciprocates.

The EU recommended that member states should lift restrictions on non-essential travel from the US in June, ahead of the peak of the summer tourist season.

That decision came as the US was making major strides with its vaccination programme.

Case numbers in America have since surged as the more infectious Delta variant has spread and large swathes of the population have refused to get vaccinated.

Last week in the U.S. new coronavirus cases averaged over 152,000 a day, turning the clock back to the end of January, and the number of hospitalized Covid patients was around 85,000, a number not seen since early February.

U.S. coronavirus deaths have been over 1,200 a day for several days, seven times higher than they were in early July.

US airline industry disappointed

The American airline industry condemned the latest move from Brussels, insisting it would keep talking to member states to "prioritise the safety and wellbeing of all travelers".

"The European Union's recommendations are a step backwards, and clearly disappointing to the US airline industry which has worked diligently to safely resume transatlantic service," lobby group Airlines for America said.

"As the EU has reopened, Americans have been eager to buy tickets, pack their bags and reunite with loved ones whom they have not seen in nearly two years."

The United States has been closed to most international travelers since the start of the pandemic, notably to Europeans, even after the EU re-opened.

Adalbert Jahnz, the European Commission spokesperson for home affairs, said Monday that the EU’s executive arm remained in discussions with the U.S. administration as both sides have so far failed to find a reciprocal approach.

However, on Monday the White House said that it was considering rethinking its rules.

"We continue to work across federal agencies to develop a consistent and safe international travel policy. This includes travel in Europe," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

More than 15 million Americans a year visited Europe before the coronavirus crisis, and new travel restrictions could cost Europe billions.