EU opens external borders to 15 countries

The European Union has decided to lift border restrictions for 15 countries, effective from July 1 and the list of countries and restrictions will be updated once in every 2 weeks.

1. Algeria
2. Australia
3. Canada
4. Georgia
5. Japan
6. Montenegro
7. Morocco
8. New Zealand
9. Rwanda
10. Serbia
11. South Korea
12. Thailand
13. Tunisia
14. Uruguay
15. China (subject to reciprocity)

Besides the above list, countries where travel restrictions continue to apply, the following categories of people should be exempted from the restrictions:

• EU citizens and their family members
• Long-term EU residents and their family members
• Travelers with an essential function or need, as listed in the Recommendation.

Schengen associated countries (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) also take part in this recommendation.

Third-country nationals who are long-term residents under the Long-term Residence Directive16 persons deriving their right to reside from other EU Directives or national law or who hold national long-term visas, as well as their respective family members.

Member States can, however, take appropriate measures such as requiring such persons to undergo self-isolation or similar measures upon return from a third country for which the temporary travel restriction is maintained, provided they impose the same requirements on their own nationals.

These categories of travelers for essential need are also exempted, according to the decision

i. Healthcare professionals, health researchers, and elderly care professionals;

ii. Frontier workers;

iii. Seasonal workers in agriculture;

iv. Transport personnel;

v. Diplomats, staff of international organisations and people invited by international organisations whose physical presence is required for the well-functioning of these organisations, military personnel and humanitarian aid workers and civil protection personnel in the exercise of their functions;

vi. Passengers in transit;

vii. Passengers travelling for imperative family reasons;

viii. Seafarers

ix. Persons in need of international protection or for other humanitarian reasons

x. Third-country nationals travelling for the purpose of study;

xi. Highly qualified third-country workers if their employment is necessary from an economic perspective and the work cannot be postponed or performed abroad.

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