time to explore with esplora
UK EU green list less than 10 including Malta
We recently reported that the United Kingdom would be announcing their new and refurbished Green List, when international leisure travel kicks starts just two weeks from now.
Though Britons’ summer holiday plans were given a much-needed boost when they heard the news, we were now informed that the UK could give the green light to less than 10 countries.
The EU is planning on re-opening its borders to vacationers from countries with low COVID-19 infection rates, just like the UK itself, as well as to those who have been vaccinated, by the start of June, under the brand new European Commission plan we outlined here.
On the other side of the coin, senior UK government sources said that the number of destinations to which UK residents can travel quarantine-free to, as of 17 May, may indeed be in single figures. Despite the pressure from conservative MPs to green light travel to all of Europe, as vaccine rates improve, a Whitehall source said that changes could be made rather rapidly over the summer, as the list of green countries is reviewed every three weeks.
Will Malta be on the Green List for the UK?
Portugal, Malta and Gibraltar are likely to be on the Green List. This means that though testing will be required prior to travel, quarantine will not be enforced upon return to the UK.
Popular holiday destinations such as France and Spain are currently expected to be on the Amber List initially. In this case, quarantine upon return would be mandatory.
What about the rest of Europe?
In terms of the rest of Europe, the current existing requirement to undergo COVID-19 testing before or after arrival and quarantine, may still be enforced by member states. That being said, EU officials believe that eventually, there will be gradual phasing out of these conditions. Under the commission’s proposals, member states would allow those who have received the final dose of an authorised vaccine, at least two full weeks prior to their arrival, to travel into countries within the EU. Even those who have not yet been vaccinated, will be allowed into the EU, provided that they are coming from a country with a ‘good epidemiological background.’
What do you think of the news?
