Skift Take
As the Delta variation is wrecking the U.S. with no slowdown in sight, it may be some time before the European Union puts the nation once again on its safe list.
Rashaad Jorden
European Union federal governments agreed on Monday to remove the United States from the EU’s safe travel list, indicating U.S. visitors and those from five other countries are likely to deal with tighter controls, such as COVID-19 tests and quarantines.
Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, and North Macedonia have actually also been removed. The list seeks to merge travel rules throughout the bloc, although it does not bind individual EU nations, which are complimentary to identify their own border policies.
Currently some EU countries, such as Germany and Belgium, categorise the United States as red, requiring tests and quarantines, while for neighbours France and the Netherlands, the United States is categorized as safe.
The list is largely compiled on the basis of the COVID-19 scenario in each country, with reciprocity likewise a factor.
Typical everyday U.S. COVID-19 cases have risen to more than 450 per million individuals in the week to Aug 28, compared with below 40 in mid-June when the European Union included the United States to its list, figures from Our World in Information show.
Case rates for Israel, Kosovo and Montenegro are even greater, the information programs.
The EU safe list now comprises 17 nations, consisting of Canada, Japan and New Zealand.
The bloc still lets in the majority of non-EU visitors who are completely vaccinated, although tests and periods of quarantine can apply, depending on the EU country of arrival.
In spite of EU appeals, Washington does not allow European residents to go to freely. The bloc itself has been divided between those worried about the lack of reciprocity and increased U.S. cases and others more reliant on tourist and unwilling to limit U.S. tourists.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, editing by Robin Emmott and Barbara Lewis)
This post was composed by Philip Blenkinsop from Reuters and was legally accredited through the Market Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing concerns to [email protected]