EU Recommends Restrictions for US Travelers: Here’s What You Need to Know

The summer of ever-changing travel restrictions continues. Two months after opening up for vaccinated Americans and allowing them to travel to its 27 member countries freely without quarantining, yesterday the EU officially removed the United States from their “safe list.” They  recommended that member nations restrict all non-essential travel from the U.S. due to the surge of COVID cases in America. While this seems like scary news, don’t panic. 

We know that many Americans have viewed this announcement as a travel ban. This is not a travel ban on Americans at all. This recommendation is simply that: a recommendation. And a non-binding one at that. Each individual member country is able to and will manage their own entry requirements and restrictions. Ultimately it’s up to a given country to decide if it wants to update their travel requirements, which means your business trip may not be affected.

This move by the EU seemingly impacts unvaccinated travelers more than the fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine - which includes Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson - it’s likely that nothing will change for you as long as you have your vaccination card in hand. But don’t be surprised if some countries add a negative COVID test requirement on top of a vaccination card too. If you’re unvaccinated, there is a chance you may not be able to enter your destination or you may be required to quarantine upon arrival. 

We expect this recommendation will illicit varying responses across the EU. Member countries will likely make any updates to their entry requirements in the next week. 

It might seem like this is bad news, but if you’re fully vaccinated, you probably don’t have too much to worry about. If you have a trip coming up, we recommend double checking your destination’s entry requirements at least five days in advance so that you can meet the testing requirement if there is one. And if you have any concerns about an upcoming trip or need to cancel your booking, reach out to a member of our team - we’re ready to help!