British nationals planning to travel to any of the European Union Member States after January 1 for purposes that are not absolutely essential, risk being banned from entering these countries amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

While the EU is yet to come with an official decision, since the UK joins the group of countries that are considered as third-countries to the EU and given the high number of Coronavirus cases marked in the country, the chances are high that Britain will be listed among the countries to which the EU has sealed off its borders since mid-March 2020.

Asked by the Local on the possibility of including Brits in the list of travellers banned from entering due to COVID-19, a Commission spokesperson said that such a thing has not been decided yet, but it is possible.

“The current Council recommendation on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction is applicable to the United Kingdom during the transition period established until December 31, 2020, on the basis of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community,” the spokesperson said.

 

He also pointed out that the Council will have to consider the addition of the United Kingdom to the list of third countries exempted from travel restrictions.

“This is a decision for the Council to make,” the spokesperson noted while giving no date when such a decision may be taken.

Currently, the EU member states apply a complete shutdown of the external borders, permitting entry only for travellers from a selected number of third-countries according to the recommendation of the EU Council.

At the same time, the Member States apply entry restrictions from travellers within the EU territory, depending on the epidemiological situation in the area they are coming from. For now, travellers from the UK can enter the majority of the Member States, though in the majority of them they have to go through quarantine or test upon arrival.

Yet, after December 31, when the UK becomes a third country to the EU, it may be listed among the countries to which the EU entry ban is applied as Americans, Albanians, Turkish, etc.