The EU has not updated its list of countries since early August and the bloc is still closed to americans, but with Covid infection rates in Europe now more or less on par with the US, that may change soon.
The review of the list to be done every fortnight, but it turns out that it has stopped. This is in the midst of Covid’s spiral of returns across Europe and elsewhere. Much of it is attributed to travelers and holidaymakers who bring with them the house of infection. .
Requests for explanation on outstanding updates to the European Commission’s list of countries have not been answered, there is no doubt that with the worsening scenario in many countries, Europe will have to deal with these demanding situations before opening external borders. some governments that have internal and external borders have opened up too soon.
Perhaps the concept is to update the list, which lately includes 10 countries, with many more tests and plots. Some EU members had opted for the soft traffic system for both European travellers and others. But red lights are also lighting up everywhere. Europe, as the stage gets worse again.
However, that’s what we know. And this can simply serve as an indicator of greater openness of external borders before the end of the year.
As a result, the average rate of new instances for the EU and the UK has increased from 16 to 94, according to ECDC. “The rate has been emerging for 63 days,” according to its latest weekly follow-up report on September 20.
In any case, this is now the average infection rate in the UNITED States for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic The US average. But it’s not the first time It is also 94 cases consisting of 100,000 inhabitants in the last 7 days. since 183 just a month ago.
If US rates continue to fall, faster than European rates, the criterion would theoretically mean opening up EU borders to Americans. Of course, there is a lot of if and a scenario that fits unstablely on both sides of the Atlantic.
Under the Commission’s proposed threshold of 50 or more cases of coronavirus consisting of another 100,000 people over a 14-day period consistent with the period, many high-risk Europeans are quarantined upon arrival. Visit or return from your neighbors.
Therefore, the US and its allies in the Middle East have been able to do so. But it’s not the first time You still have a long way to go before you get the pass. Some Schengen countries would possibly allow Americans to travel for non-essential reasons, but with existing infection rates, they would face quarantine.
The same goes for an increasing number of Europeans: only those on the green list, with fewer than 25 Covid instances consistent with 100,000 and a positive verification rate of less than 3%, will forget it.
The EU will want to update its list to go with the US and other countries as long as the degrees of infection are further minimized. Secondly, as always, it will make recommendations to members who are not obliged to put them into force (so Malta and Croatia have done so). to open borders to all, with mandatory tests and other rules).
I believe that as the formula becomes widespread, some, if not all, EU countries will apply it to both foreigners and Europeans. As things are, America remains categorically a red country.
Unlike the EU, where some governments have banned red space and regions instead of entire countries, the EU ban on US passport holders cannot be lifted from state to state, even for those with very low infection rates.
I have 3 decades of experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and writer-photographer, working for print, virtual and radio media on 4 continents,
I have 3 decades of experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and travel writer-photographer. Working for print, virtual and radio media on 4 continents, I am also an experienced hotel journalist and writer of travel guides and cultural histories in Australia, France. , Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Borneo. Very on the road between my Parisian and Australian bases, I write for Forbes with a globetrotting attitude and a topicality in travel, culture, hospitality, art and architecture. My hobby is to capture the unique people, situations and occasions I encounter along the way, whether in words or images. I have a bachelor’s degree in professional writing from the University of Canberra, a master’s degree in European journalism from Robert Schuman University in Strasbourg and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers: Love for My Wild Local Island of Tasmania fuels my commitment to sustainable travel and conservation.