EU Member States Can Declare on List of Countries to Open Borders By Noon Tomorrow

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - EU member states can declare by noon tomorrow through a written procedure on the list of countries for which travel restrictions to the Schengen area should cease to apply from July 1, Tanjug learns in Brussels.

Last week, member states compiled a “draft list” of 15 countries whose citizens should be able to freely cross the EU's external borders from July 1.

If none of the 27 EU member states objects by noon tomorrow, the list will be considered adopted.

The European Commission states that they have “given their recommendations” on criteria related to the health situation in third countries, which should be “similar or better” than in the EU, the possibility of maintaining protective measures during travel, and reciprocity for travel of EU citizens to that third country.

The Commission proposed that Western Balkan countries be among the first on the list, citing close relations and the EU's integration policy with the region.

The preliminary list from the region included only Serbia and Montenegro, along with Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, and China.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Kosovo had more than 25 infected per 100,000 inhabitants according to data up to June 15.

The EU average for that period is 13 registered COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The EU states that this list will be updated every two weeks in line with the latest epidemiological data.