By Ben Kerrigan-
The EU is to punish Britain for Brexit by banning British holidaymakers from the European Union from 1 January under the guise of current Covid-19 safety restrictions.
The EU is exempting only a handful of countries with low coronavirus rates from the rules that prohibit nonessential visitors from outside the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) – with the UK included only until the end of the Brexit transition period.
The connection with Brexit is underlined with the specification of none EU countries under the ban, especially with tough Brexit talks between the UK and the EU post Brexit trade deals.
The agreement by EU member states was made in October to adopt a European council proposal to allow nonessential travel from a small group of countries with lower levels of Covid cases including Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.
With EU countries like Albania and Turkey included in the blacklisted countries, there was a feeling among EU member states that a country like the UK which is not only leaving the block, but allegedly difficult in negotiations, had to feel the heat too. The official reason for the ban remains Covid rules.
A UK government spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on decisions that could be taken by other states on public health matters.
“We take a scientific, risk-based approach to health measures at the border, and it is of course in the interests of all countries to allow safe international travel as we emerge from the pandemic.”
Under European rules, individuals can still enter the bloc in certain cases, mainly for work – including aid workers, care workers, diplomats, healthcare professionals, military personnel, seasonal farm workers and transport workers. Entry for study, transit, and urgent family reasons is also permitted.
Although the UK has lower infection rates than 18 of the 27 EU member states, officials say there are currently no plans to add Britain to the ‘safe’ list. The ‘safe’ list requires countries to have an infection rates below the EU average on June 15, and infections must be stable or falling.
Essential travellers, such as those involved in medical supply chains, food supply, seasonal farm workers, and diplomats, will not be affected by the rule change.
Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, and said all countries will have to keep travel restrictions under review to deal with the virus, and said Brexit has nothing to do with the rules.
‘In terms of linking it to Brexit… I don’t think that’s right. The arrangements, whether we’ve got a free trade deal or otherwise, are that Brits can go over there for 90 days in any 180-day period,’ he said.
‘But Covid in the rest of Europe and in the UK remains a live issue and we need to make we’ve got control of it and I’m afraid restrictions on travel is something that’s quite likely to be kept under review.’
However, the link of the ban to Brexit is automatic under the present climate. Had Brexit not been taking place, it is unlikely the UK would have been included in the ban, with falling rates of infection known. Only nine countries from outside the EU have been considered ‘safe’ enough for tourists to be allowed in.