The European Council has officially recommended today European Union (E.U.) member countries lift restrictions on non-essential travel from the U.S. That's welcome news for the many Americans that have been holding out hope of taking a post-pandemic European vacation this summer.
Several others were also added today to the E.U.'s so-called "white list" of nations, territories and special administrative regions from which leisure travel is allowed: Albania, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, North Macedonia, Serbia and Taiwan.
In a statement released Friday, the Council wrote that countries were selected for list inclusion based upon, "the epidemiological situation and overall response to COVID-19, as well as the reliability of the available information and data sources." It also noted that the element of reciprocity is being taken into account on a case-by-case basis.
Today's announcement essentially means that all 27 members of the E.U. bloc should shortly begin granting entry to U.S. tourists, among other foreigners. Bloomberg reported that member states will begin allowing in fully vaccinated Americans, and they may individually decide whether to also offer quarantine-free entry to unvaccinated travelers coming from white-listed countries.
The Council's statement also advised Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, as well as Schengen-area associated countries (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) to adopt its updated travel policies.
This latest move by the E.U.'s governing body should go a long way toward restoring Transatlantic travel in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, something which airlines have been pressing U.S. and E.U. officials to actively support as vaccination rates improve on both sides of the Atlantic.
Still, it's important to note that the Council's recommendations aren't legally binding and that each member state is responsible for implementing these guidelines. Bloc members can also choose to impose added regulations as they see fit, including quarantine, testing or vaccination requirements.
"It's up to every country to decide how and when to open the borders," French Embassy spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said, according to USA Today. "The European Union is the one giving the framework, but the decision comes from the states."
Americans hoping to travel to Europe any time soon should therefore check the E.U.'s reopening website for current restrictions in their intended destination.
Several European countries-including France, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Greece and Iceland-have already reopened to fully vaccinated non-E.U. travelers, including those from the U.S.
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