May 5, 2021
2 mins read

EU member states urged to ease travel curbs

Non-essential travel regardless of individual vaccination status is currently permitted from seven countries with a good epidemiological situation…reports Asian Lite News.

The European Commission has called on the member states of the European Union (EU) to grant entry to travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and those coming from countries with a good epidemiological situation.

“The Commission proposes to allow entry to the EU for non-essential reasons not only for all persons coming from countries with a good epidemiological situation, but also all people who have received the last recommended dose of an EU-authorised vaccine,” the EU’s executive arm said in a statement on Monday.

It added that a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization should also be accepted, reports Xinhua news agency.

Non-essential travel regardless of individual vaccination status is currently permitted from seven countries with a good epidemiological situation.

The Commission called for “continued vigilance” in view of the emergence of coronavirus variants of concern and proposed the use of a new “emergency brake mechanism,” which would limit the risk of such variants entering the EU.

The proposal will be discussed this week at the Council of the EU.

In March, the Commission proposed the adoption of a digital certificate that can prove that the holders are either Covid-19 negative, vaccinated or recovered from the disease.

The certificate system is being negotiated among EU institutions and could be finalized by summer to salvage the bloc’s tourism industry.

Earlier, World Health Organisation’s (WHO) regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said that more Europeans have been vaccinated against Covid-19 than have been confirmed to be infected.
 
“Based on numbers of confirmed cases, 5.5 per cent of the entire European population has now had Covid-19, while 7 per cent has completed a full vaccination series,” Kluge said in a press release.

To date, some 215 million vaccine doses have been administered in Europe, he said. Approximately 16 per cent of the WHO European Region’s population has received the first vaccine dose.

The WHO European Region has so far registered 51,506,373 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 1,076,173 deaths.

Medical professionals returning back on duty abroad wear protective gear and Personel Protective Equipment (PPE) suits as they arrive to board a flight at the Indira Gandhi International Airport

Despite the recent decline in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths, Kluge reiterated his dire warning to citizens in the region to be vigilant and remain “conscious of the fact that vaccines alone will not end the pandemic.”

“Without informing and engaging communities, they remain exposed to the virus. Without surveillance, we can’t identify new variants. And without contact tracing, governments may need to reimpose restrictive measures,” Kluge said.

Also Read-EU extends critical support to India

Read More-Mainland Europe’s first underground railway turns 125

Previous Story

Blinken, Jaishankar meet in London, discuss Covid situation

Next Story

Raab, Blinken discuss pandemic, FTA

Latest from -Top News

WUC Intensifies Global Call for Uyghur Justice

WUC delegation undertook a week-long advocacy tour in Germany, where it met with Turkish NGOs and community leaders….reports Asian Lite News The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has published its monthly brief, strengthening

India Urges Bangladesh to Act on Minority Attacks

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged the Yunus government to probe extremist attacks on minorities….reports Asian Lite News India on Friday criticised recent comments by Bangladesh’s Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, asserting that

Jaffar Express Targeted Yet Again

blast happened at a distance of one kilometre from the Sultan Kot railway station….reports Asian Lite News At least seven injured as blast hits Quetta-bound Jaffar Express in Sindh’s Shikarpur district. Shikarpur

India to Join G20 Energy Talks in South Africa

The meeting is being hosted under South Africa’s G20 Presidency in the country’s KwaZulu Natal province…reports Asian Lite News Union Power Minister Manohar Lal will represent India at the G20 Energy Transitions
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Massive surge in India Covid cases

With the death of 197 people in the last 24

Trade deficit widens while exports to EU hit record high

The widening was caused by the surging value of imports,