Europe Plans to Keep Border Closed as Fears of Second Wave Grow

Image: The national flags of various European countries scattered across a map of the region. (photo courtesy of Bet_Noire/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Image: The national flags of various European countries scattered across a map of the region. (photo courtesy of Bet_Noire/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Janeen Christoff
by Janeen Christoff
Last updated: 3:36 PM ET, Wed July 15, 2020

Leaders of the European Union are recommending external borders remain closed for at least two more weeks to U.S. travelers and other foreigners.

The list of countries allowed to travel to the EU will remain as it is with 15 allowed to visit, including Canada, Japan, South Korea and China among others, Bloomberg reports.

This was the first biweekly review of its July 1 move to loosen restrictions that came into place following the pandemic.

A resurgence of the virus around the world is contributing to the resistance to open borders and emerge from national lockdowns. While health policies in the EU are normally a national responsibility, the 27-nation bloc has so far coordinated voluntarily.

The European travel ban was announced on June 26 and went into effect on July 1. The U.S. Travel Association called the restrictions on American travelers "incredibly disappointing and a step in the wrong direction as we seek to rebuild our global economy."

U.S. travelers craving a European vacation can still currently travel to Croatia as well as Serbia, North Macedonia and other Eastern European destinations and they can transfer through many European airports.

One of the easiest places for Americans in need of a getaway out of the country to go is the Caribbean with most islands welcoming U.S. visitors.


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