01 July

The European Union has agreed to lift travel restrictions for 14 countries from July 1.

The EU has banned entry from outside the bloc in principle since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the EU is now considering lifting restrictions in stages for the summer vacation season as economic activity restarts.

The 14 countries include Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Canada.

As for China, the EU says, based on the reciprocity principle, it will allow travelers from China to enter the bloc, only if the country accepts visitors from the EU.

The United States and Russia are not included. Whether unrestricted travel will take place immediately is not known, as immigration control is under the jurisdiction of each member nation. Some countries may isolate visitors from outside the bloc for a certain period.

nhk