BRUSSELS — Dreaming of a European vacation? If you’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19, those overseas travel plans could soon become a reality.
According to The Associated Press, European Union ambassadors agreed Wednesday to back a European Commission plan to allow fully vaccinated visitors, as well as tourists from an expanded group of “safe” countries, into the 27-nation bloc.
So far, tourists from just seven “safe” countries – such as New Zealand, Australia and Singapore – have been allowed to travel into the European Union based on epidemiological data, according to Reuters. On Friday, officials will finalize new, relaxed criteria for a country to be added to the list, The New York Times reported. Tourists from those countries will be allowed into the E.U. regardless of their vaccination status, officials said.
Although the United States would not make the list, the E.U. also plans to open its borders to fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. and other countries, according to Reuters. The Times reported that the bloc will allow visitors who have received one of the following vaccines approved by the E.U. or the World Health Organization: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca or Sinopharm.
The new travel rules could take effect “as early as next week,” according to the Times.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Cox Media Group
