The European Union announced a list of nations whose citizens will be allowed to enter 31 European countries amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The United States is not on a “safe list” of destinations for non-essential travel, but Canada is.
The countries are Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.
Russia and Brazil, along with the United States, are among countries that did not make the initial “safe list.”
As Europe’s economies reel from the impact of the coronavirus, southern EU countries like Greece, Italy and Spain are desperate to entice back sun-loving visitors and breathe life into their damaged tourism industries.
The list will act as a recommendation to EU members, meaning they will almost certainly not allow access to travelers from other countries, but could potentially set restrictions on those entering from the 14 nations.
The EU’s efforts to reopen internal borders, particularly among the 26-nation Schengen area which normally has no frontier checks, have been patchy as various countries have restricted access for certain visitors.
Greece is mandating COVID-19 tests for arrivals from a range of EU countries, including France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, with self-isolation until results are known.
The Czech Republic is not allowing in tourists from Portugal and Sweden.
British residents can also travel to many EU countries, although non-essential travelers to Britain are required to self-isolate for 14 days.
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