More than a year after shutting down nonessential travel from most countries to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the E.U. is getting ready to welcome American tourists who have been fully vaccinated against the virus.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president revealed it in an interview with The New York Times.
“The Americans, as far as I can see, use European Medicines Agency-approved vaccines. This will enable free movement and travel to the European Union. Because one thing is clear: All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by E.M.A.,” she said.
European Medicines Agency has approved all three vaccines being used in the United States, namely the Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson.
Until now, nonessential travel to the European Union has been officially banned with the exception of visitors from a shortlist of countries with very low caseloads of the virus.
However, some E.U. countries such as Greece made small exceptions to permit visitors from outside the bloc.
