By EURACTIV.com with AFP
ALTHOUGH Thailand is on the EU’s list of “safe countries” from where travellers could visit Europe in July, the member states still cannot agree on this list and require more time to decide, EUROACTIV.com and AFP reported today (June 29, 2020).
After days of talks, EU envoys on Friday agreed to propose a list of 14 countries to their national governments, with the United States, where the coronavirus is still spreading, to remain excluded.
Croatia, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, requested that countries offer feedback by Saturday at 1600 GMT, with hopes the matter could then be put to a vote among the 27 member states.
“There are still ongoing consultations, which will continue until Monday,” an EU source told AFP.
“There is no visibility on where this will go, but the presidency still hopes to put this matter to a vote on Monday,” the source added.
The proposed “safe” list contains just fourteen countries: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.
Crucially, travellers from China would be approved to enter, but under the condition that Beijing would do the same for Europeans.
Non-essential travel to the EU has been banned since mid-March, but only after member states closed their national borders in confusion and without coordination as the pandemic grew.
The restrictions are to be gradually lifted starting July 1, as the infection rate recedes – at least in Europe – and some countries hoped for close EU coordination.
CAPTION:
Top: A hostess wearing a face mask guides passengers at Orly airport, near Paris, France, on June 26, 2020. The Paris airport resumes its activity after more than three months of closure since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in France. Photo: EPA-EFE / Christophe Petit Tesson
