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Coronavirus: EU to allow in visitors from 15 'safe' countries | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The EU has decided that from Wednesday EU borders will be reopened to citizens from 15 non-EU countries, including Canada, Morocco and Australia, but not the US, Brazil and Russia. | |
China is on the list, but subject to a reciprocal agreement, still pending. | |
The unanimous decision by the European Council is not legally binding, so states can choose not to open up to all those countries. | |
Diplomats spent five days debating the list, amid varying pandemic concerns. | |
The so-called "safe travel destinations" are, besides China: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. | |
The UK and four other non-EU states - Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - are automatically included as "safe". | |
The BBC's Gavin Lee in Brussels says there was intense lobbying by representatives of the US, Russia and Turkey to get included on the list. | |
EU officials say the decision was based on a number of scientific factors: | |
One diplomat from a north European member state told the BBC that a "certain amount of geopolitics influenced the decision too" and that "Balkan and Eastern European states had recommended" that Georgia, a former Soviet state, be included. | |
The Hungarian government is understood to have lobbied for Serbia's inclusion. Spanish officials say they requested that Morocco be on the list, provided there was an agreement of reciprocity. | |
Denmark and Austria were among several member states arguing for the number of countries to be fewer than 15. | |
But in the end, it was adopted unanimously by member states. | |
Each state will have to announce when it intends to start readmitting citizens from some or all of those countries. | |
French officials say they expect to implement the decision in the "coming days". | |
The Czech Republic has published a list of eight countries that it considers safe for travel. | |
The EU list will be updated every two weeks. | |
UK covered by Brexit transition phase | |
Many border controls have been lifted for EU citizens travelling inside the bloc. Future rules for UK travellers are part of the current Brexit negotiations. | |
But UK nationals are still to be treated in the same way as EU citizens until the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December, the EU Commission says. | But UK nationals are still to be treated in the same way as EU citizens until the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December, the EU Commission says. |
So during this period UK nationals and their family members are exempt from the EU's temporary travel restriction. | So during this period UK nationals and their family members are exempt from the EU's temporary travel restriction. |
EU nations in the 26-member Schengen zone normally allow passport-free border crossings for EU citizens, but national authorities have reimposed restrictions in this crisis. | EU nations in the 26-member Schengen zone normally allow passport-free border crossings for EU citizens, but national authorities have reimposed restrictions in this crisis. |
The UK is currently negotiating temporary "air bridges" with several EU member states, so that the coronavirus pandemic does not totally block summer holidays - the busiest season in Europe for tourism, which employs millions of people. | |
In the EU discussions there were splits between those such as Spain - wanting the boost of tourism, but preferring to play safe because they have been hit so hard by Covid-19 - and others like Greece and Portugal, which depend on tourism but are less scarred by the virus. | |
You'd think it'd be quite straightforward, deciding which non-EU countries to consider "safe". But it's been a tortuous, divisive process, mixing politics and economics, as well as public health. | You'd think it'd be quite straightforward, deciding which non-EU countries to consider "safe". But it's been a tortuous, divisive process, mixing politics and economics, as well as public health. |
Countries like Germany and Spain, horrified by the devastation of Covid-19, wanted to play it safe. | Countries like Germany and Spain, horrified by the devastation of Covid-19, wanted to play it safe. |
They pushed to have a short list of countries with low infection rates, a good health service and reliable health data. | They pushed to have a short list of countries with low infection rates, a good health service and reliable health data. |
But Greece and Portugal had other ideas. Anxious to boost their post-lockdown, flagging economies with tourism, and less scarred by widespread infection at the height of the pandemic, they wanted as long a list as possible. | But Greece and Portugal had other ideas. Anxious to boost their post-lockdown, flagging economies with tourism, and less scarred by widespread infection at the height of the pandemic, they wanted as long a list as possible. |
Then came France, insisting on reciprocity. If a non-EU country was barring flights from the bloc, argued Paris, they shouldn't appear on the list. | Then came France, insisting on reciprocity. If a non-EU country was barring flights from the bloc, argued Paris, they shouldn't appear on the list. |
And finally: diplomatic considerations. How awkward for the EU to include some countries but not others. Thumbs up to visitors from Canada, Japan and China from 1 July - if Beijing allows EU visitors entry - but not travellers from the US. | And finally: diplomatic considerations. How awkward for the EU to include some countries but not others. Thumbs up to visitors from Canada, Japan and China from 1 July - if Beijing allows EU visitors entry - but not travellers from the US. |
After days of haggling, the final list is an attempted compromise. Much metaphorical sweat, blood and tears for a list that is advisory only, open to exceptions and will be regularly tweaked and updated. | After days of haggling, the final list is an attempted compromise. Much metaphorical sweat, blood and tears for a list that is advisory only, open to exceptions and will be regularly tweaked and updated. |