Europeans are continuing difficult talks on Friday over a list of countries whose tourists will be allowed into the EU on July 1, which could include China but not the United States, diplomatic sources said.
If border control remains a competence of each State, the EU strives to coordinate as much as possible on the question of travelers to authorize on its soil, because of the free movement which resumes in the Schengen area, with the lifting of the restrictions decided to fight against the coronavirus.
Similar epidemiological situation
Non-essential travel to the EU has been banned since mid-March. This measure must be lifted gradually, by favoring visitors from countries whose epidemiological situation is similar or better than that of the EU, where the pandemic has ebbed.
But while the most touristic European countries are keen to reopen without delay, others are more cautious, a diplomatic source said. Greece started on June 15 to reopen its airports to several non-EU countries, including China, New Zealand and South Korea. "We urge that an agreement be reached quickly," said Spanish government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero.
The ambassadors of the EU countries and the Schengen area, which have already met several times recently on this list, have resumed their discussions, the outcome of which is uncertain on Friday.
The Commission proposal sets several epidemiological criteria for a country to be admitted, including a rate of new cases of Covid-19 close to or below 16 per 100,000 inhabitants (average in the EU) out of the 14 last days.
On the basis of this criterion only and according to a provisional list dating from the beginning of the week, travelers from the United States, Brazil, Canada in particular are excluded, while those from China, Japan are admitted among others , South Korea, India, Morocco, Cuba, Venezuela, Australia, New Zealand and Western Balkan countries, says a diplomatic source.
Reciprocity
The proposal under discussion, which must give rise to a recommendation from the Council (institution representing the member states), also contains other criteria: a tendency for new cases to remain stable or to decrease, as well as the measures put in place by a countries to fight the pandemic, including the practice of testing. Several member states, however, consider the reliability of epidemiological data supplied by third countries, notably China, to be "problematic".
Once the epidemiological criteria have been met, that of reciprocity should also apply, that is to say that third countries whose travelers will be authorized in the EU must allow access to European travelers. The list should be revised every two weeks, according to a European source.
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