Lifting inbound travel restrictions to the EU

The European Council has updated the list of countries for which travel restrictions should be gradually lifted. The UK and UAE are not included.

The European Council has updated the list of countries, special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities for which travel restrictions should be lifted.

Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries, special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities for which travel restrictions should be lifted. As stipulated in the Council recommendation, this list will continue to be reviewed and possibly updated every two weeks.

The recommendation, as from 18 June 2021, is that all 26 EU counties and the Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) should gradually lift the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the following third countries:

• Albania
• Australia
• Israel
• Japan
• Lebanon
• New Zealand
• Republic of North Macedonia
• Rwanda
• Serbia
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Thailand
• United States of America

China is also added but subject to confirmation of reciprocity. The Council states that travel restrictions should also be gradually lifted for the special administrative regions of China Hong Kong and Macao. The condition of reciprocity for these special administrative regions has been lifted.

Under the category of entities and territorial authorities that are not recognised as states by at least one member state, travel restrictions for Taiwan should also be gradually lifted.

Residents of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican should be considered as EU residents for the purpose of this recommendation.

The Council recommendation is not a legally binding instrument. The authorities of the member states remain responsible for implementing the content of the recommendation. They may, in full transparency, lift only progressively travel restrictions towards countries listed.

A Member State should not decide to lift the travel restrictions for non-listed third countries before this has been decided in a coordinated manner.