Hopes are high that the 15-month ban on travel between the EU and the United States could be lifted.
With transatlantic holidays still on hold, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reveals plans to lift EU-US travel restrictions “as soon as possible”.
So, if you’re looking to travel stateside this year, you could be in luck. Holidays to the US could be on the cards sooner than expected!
The end of a 15-month ban – US holidays could go ahead
Last week, the Portuguese Minister of Internal Affairs, Eduardo Cabrita, spoke at a meeting of officials in Lisbon. He revealed that work is ongoing “to restore normality in the movement of people between the two sides of the Atlantic”.
Following this, the US Secretary of State has said EU-US travel restrictions are to be lifted “as soon as possible”
President Biden’s administration has been working to lift the COVID-19 travel restrictions imposed on EU citizens. However, Secretary of State Blinken says it is still too early to put an exact date on such a move.
Ongoing work – efforts to allow for the easing of restrictions
The US Secretary of State spoke at a news conference in Paris alongside his French counterpart. At the conference, he announced that they plan to lift EU-US travel restrictions “as soon as possible”.
He stated, “We are anxious to be able to restore travel as fully and quickly as possible. I can’t put a date on it; we have to be guided by the science, by medical expertise.”
Vice president of the European Commission for Promoting the European way of life Margaritis Schinas announced on social media that the EU and the US are “redoubling efforts to achieve visa reciprocity and open up post-COVID travel.”
He continued, “The transatlantic partnership is coming back in a big way.”
The ongoing vaccination programme – a light at the end of the tunnel
One of the main factors contributing to plans for lifting EU-US travel restrictions “as soon as possible” is the positive outlook of the ongoing vaccination programme.
The US Secretary of State highlighted that Europe is the most vaccinated country in the world. He emphasized the launch of the EU Digital COVID Certificate as a factor in facilitating mobility within the Schengen Area.
An EU Digital COVID Certificate will be available to all EU member states from 1 July. It is digital proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has received a negative test result, or has recovered from COVID-19.
Travel from Europe to the USA – positive signs
The EU has recently added the USA to its ‘white list’, which comprises countries deemed for unessential travel.
Before the meeting, European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said, “We’ve reopened the border to the US, and we’ll see if it’s possible to agree on reciprocity.”
