EU Reportedly Considers Restoring Travel Restrictions on US

With COVID-19 cases having increased dramatically since June, the European Union is expected to discuss restoring travel sanctions on the U.S. as it grapples with the emergence of new strains of the virus.

The U.S. has breached the threshold to be included among non-EU countries that enjoy unrestricted travel into the bloc, a person familiar with the situation told Bloomberg News Service.

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The EU limit for foreign visitors is no more than 75 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the previous 14 days. The U.S rate is currently almost 270 cases per 100,000 and increasing, said the person who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.

The EU had lifted restrictions on the U.S. in June, adding it to a list of countries from where non-essential travel into the bloc is allowed, after America’s epidemiological situation met the bloc’s criteria.

As a result, travel to Europe surged to the point European aviation is nearly at 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

The restrictions would apply to non-essential travel. However, fully vaccinated people should still be able to enter EU countries, the person told Bloomberg.