France says it is easing Covid travel restrictions for seven non-EU states
The French government will ease travel restrictions for people coming in from seven non-EU nations, officials said on Thursday, adding there was no “compelling reason” for extra Covid rules to apply to the shortlist of countries.
French Tourism Minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said on Thursday that the easing of restrictions was possible because of the improving health situation in the seven countries – Australia, Israel, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, New Zealand and the UK. Leymoyne added that Britain was included “because the UK variant now also circulates widely in France.”
Travelers will still have to provide a negative Covid-19 test result issued within 72 hours to be allowed entry to France. The changes are set to be made official on Friday.
Also on rt.com Air France rolls out limited Covid-19 health passport system as trial for ‘future travel pass’The French move is the latest in a series by EU states to try and recoup some business for the devastated tourism industry in the coming months, and EU chiefs are also expected to announce details of a vaccine pass that works in and outside Europe next week.
Spain’s tourism minister has said the country could begin using vaccine passports in May and that it would look at a green corridor for vaccinated British tourists if there is no wider EU agreement. Greece, Cyprus and Portugal also indicated last week that they are hoping to salvage a summer tourism season through vaccine passports.
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