EU lifts restrictions on tourists from US

The European Union is lifting restrictions on tourists from the United States, according to The Associated Press.

EU members agreed to ease restrictions on the U.S., adding it to a list of countries acceptable for nonessential travel. 

The group also agreed to lift restrictions on North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Lebanon and Taiwan.

The recommendations are nonbinding for member countries, and governments can still set entry requirements such as mandatory COVID-19 testing or vaccination records. The recommendation is expected to be formally adopted on Friday, the AP noted.

According to The New York Times, travelers would be able to visit for nonessential reasons, even if they have not been fully inoculated. Still, the European Commission recommended that COVID-19 testing be required, though that decision will be left up to individual governments.

Last month, the EU gave final approval to allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter member countries, and to ease criteria for lifting restrictions for certain countries.

Spain began allowing vaccinated Americans to travel to the country on June 7. Greece has also announced that it would allow vaccinated tourists to travel there.

The European Union has also cleared a travel certificate, allowing people to travel between member countries without additional quarantine or COVID-19 testing measures. All EU countries have to recognize the certificates for a year beginning July 1.