The European Union on Monday removed five countries including the US, Lebanon, and Israel from its list of countries exempted from restrictions on non-essential travel during the coronavirus pandemic.
Schengen Visa Info said that the removal from the list means that the Member States are advised to reimpose the entry ban on travelers from these countries so that they are no longer eligible to enter restriction-free for non-essential purposes like tourism and business.
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All countries affected have recently reported an increasing number of COVID-19 cases detected within their territory.
The complete list of the countries affected also includes Kosovo and North Macedonia.
The EU’s list of safe countries includes non-EU/EEA countries that are considered safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to the low rates of infections. EU Member States are advised to reopen their borders for non-essential travelers from these areas.
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EU will reimpose COVID-19 travel ban on US, Lebanon, and Israel: Sources
