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British people are banned from traveling to Europe when the transition period ends in January, according to reports.
Currently, the British can still travel to large parts of the continent under the rules of freedom of movement.
But as of January 1, when the UK leaves the European Union with or without a deal, that will change.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, EU countries only allow non-essential travel from non-EU countries with low rates of coronavirus infection.
Currently, only travelers from eight of those countries are allowed to travel to the EU, according to a Financial Times report.
EU officials told the FT that there was no proposal to add the UK to that list of safe nations, which includes Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
(Image: PA)
Some EU member states do not even allow travelers from countries on the safe list, reflecting the tough battle facing much of Europe to control rates of coronavirus infection.
Only 12 of the European nations apply the list in its entirety, while three have not adopted it at all.
If a proposal is made to add Britain to the safe list, it would have to meet technical criteria, such as showing that it has strong measures against the coronavirus.
Talks on the Brexit trade deal have been delayed over three issues that the EU and the UK cannot agree on. Are:
Fishing: The two parts are divided into two issues: quotas and access. In 2012-16, 56% of the fish in UK waters was caught by EU vessels and 44% by UK vessels. Britain wants both more quotas to catch its own fish and ultimate control over who accesses the waters. Reports suggested that the EU was willing to return 18% of its current quotas to UK fishermen, but Britain demanded 80%. The UK offered a three-year transition to take control, but the EU reportedly wanted 10 years.
Level playing field: This means how closely we will follow the EU rules in the future. The UK wants the freedom to make its own laws in areas such as labor, the environment, the climate, sustainable development and business grants (known as ‘state aid’). Britain wants to be allowed to “promise” that it will not “disown” the environment or other standards, but the EU demanded “equivalence”, with the UK “effectively reflecting” EU standards in future which officials called a last-minute ambush by the French.
Governance: The last key dispute is over how future disagreements between the UK and the EU on trade are resolved. The UK is confident that the European Court of Justice will not play a role, but the exact provisions are still being worked out. For further information please click here.
On the other hand, Norway, which is not in the EU, has said it would prevent the British from entering the country from January 1.
It came as airlines and vacation companies demanded that the government review its approach to foreign travel advice.
Trading bodies Airlines UK and Abta said their members are struggling to recover from the coronavirus pandemic as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) continues to discourage all but essential travel to the vast majority of countries.
The position invalidates most travel insurance policies, which means that many potential business and pleasure trips will be canceled.
Abta suspects that the FCDO’s travel advice is being used to control the virus crisis in the UK rather than assessing the risk to travelers visiting other nations.
Beginning on December 15, people arriving in England from high-risk countries will be able to end their 14-day quarantine early if they receive a negative coronavirus test taken at least five days after landing.
But Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, warned that airlines will only be able to “make the most of” this if the travel advice is also changed.
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He said: “This incoherent approach runs the risk of adding to the tens of thousands of job losses we have already seen, which have devastated the aviation sector this year.
“It is not about sending people to dangerous places. Nobody wants that and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is absolutely right to rule it out.
“But there are countries on the banned list that we think could be opened at the national or regional level.
“Reviewing the travel tips will give our troubled industry its own injection in the arm this winter.”
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