European Union extends travel ban for most countries including India

The European Union on Tuesday extended a ban on travellers from the United States, India and most other countries, citing epidemiological factors for the decision.

The countries were chosen based on certain criteria, including that the number of new cases over a 14-day period had to be “close to order below the EU average.” The countries also needed to have a “stable or decreasing trend of new cases over this period.”

The UK will be treated as part of the EU, according to the Council, until the end of the year. The UK currently has a mandatory quarantine period of 14 days for those travelling to the country. Other EU countries have already withdrawn similar mandatory periods.

The list of permitted countries is technically a recommendation. According to the European Council, member states will have the final say in how the restrictions are eased for countries on the list.

“The authorities of the member states remain responsible for implementing the content of the recommendation,” said the Council. “They may, in full transparency, lift only progressively travel restrictions towards countries listed.”

The EU has kept a travel ban in place at its external borders since mid-March. The ban was extended to non-EU Schengen area member states, including Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The list of banned and permitted countries will be updated every 14 days to take into account progress or lack thereof, according to the Council.