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- Is it legal to go on an ‘amber list’ holiday?
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European Union ambassadors are set to meet today to sign off plans to allow fully vaccinated Britons to visit Europe restriction-free this summer.
Under a new ‘vaccine passport’ scheme all EU member states would adopt the same entry requirements, allowing innoculated travellers from low-risk countries, such as the UK, to enter without the need to take a Covid-19 test or quarantine on arrival.
The bloc is also set to extend its ‘green list,’ which is currently limited to just seven low-risk nations. The UK and US, with seven-day case rates of 22 and 65 per 100,000 respectively, are likely to be added, making them eligible for the scheme.
This could make holidays to the likes of France, Spain and Italy more accessible to Britons, despite these countries currently being on the UK Government’s ‘amber list.’
Boris Johnson will today face calls to clarify the traffic light travel rules, following conflicting remarks from senior figures. Yesterday Lord Bethell told peers that “travelling is dangerous” just hours after George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, said Britons could travel abroad to “amber list” countries to visit friends and families.
It is likely that European destinations will permit the use of the NHS app as a vaccine passport – travellers who are yet to receive both doses of the jab would need to present proof of a negative test or recent. However, there is still reported last-minute disagreement in Brussels, with members yet to agree on what the document should be called.
It’s a “make-or-break week,” one EU diplomat said.
There are calls for British travel bosses for the UK to adopt a similar approach, and scrap the current testing requirements for arrivals from ‘green list’ destinations. Last night, Paul Charles, the head of The PC Agency, tweeted: “EU ambassadors meet tomorrow to (hopefully) agree that fully-jabbed British travellers can travel to EU countries without restriction – no tests needed after 1st June. The same should apply to fully-jabbed UK citizens returning from green zones.”
Amber list: what are the rules?
With just 12 countries green-listed, much of Europe has been be put in the amber category of the new traffic light system but there is heightened confusion over whether we can actually go on holiday to these destinations.
Here we detail all the rules for the ‘amber list’, when the ratings might be reviewed and whether you should book a holiday.
Green-list country may be expanded next month, minister suggests
Education minister Gillian Keegan has suggested the green list of countries where people can take overseas holidays may be expanded next month.
Ms Keegan said there would probably be an announcement “a week or two before” the next stage of the lifting of lockdown restrictions.
“As we get to the next stage of the unlocking – June 21 – I think people are hoping there are more countries on the green list but right now there are only 12 on the green list and they are the only ones you can go on holiday to,” she told LBC radio.
Is it legal, or sensible, to go on an ‘amber list’ holiday?
Is the Government gaslighting both travellers and holiday companies? It feels that way to me. Even as the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, confirmed that international leisure travel would no longer be illegal, we were being given mixed messages. Now the confusion is getting worse.
Nick Trend explains why the inconsistent advice effectively increase the number of traffic lights from three to four here.
Shadow health secretary would not travel to amber list country
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said he would not travel to a country on the Government’s amber list.
Speaking to Sky News, he said the Government’s messaging around international travel had been “confusing”.
He said: “I think people just want clarity. Because people want to do the right thing and there are people who will just want a holiday.”
Asked if he would go to a country on the amber list, he said: “No, no I wouldn’t.
“At the moment I’m planning on going on holiday to Devon or Cornwall or somewhere, if I do get a holiday.”
Boris Johnson faces pressure to clarify travel confusion
Boris Johnson could face pressure to clarify the confusion around international travel rules today when he takes Prime Minister’s Questions at 12pm.
Facing Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in a six-question round, the Prime Minister is likely to face questions on where it is safe to holiday after one of his ministers said all international trips were “dangerous”.
Would-be holidaymakers were left with their plans for a summer break up in the air after ministers appeared to contradict themselves over where the public are permitted to travel abroad.
With a new traffic light system brought in on Monday to allow some foreign travel to resume again after months of coronavirus lockdown, the Prime Minister stressed countries on the so-called “amber list” were “not somewhere where you should be going on holiday”.
Public told to abandon summer holiday plans
The Government’s travel policy is in chaos as a minister insists it is too dangerous to travel overseas.
Lord Bethell – who is close to Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary – told peers that people should “stay in this country”.
He said: “Travelling is dangerous. That is not news to us or to the people who get on those planes in the first place. We do ask people, particularly as we go into the summer, travelling is not for this year – please stay in this country.”
But colleagues label comments ‘idiotic’.
Charles Hymas and Harry Yorke have the full story here.
What happened yesterday?
A quick recap of Tuesday’s top stories:
- Airport queues are ‘super spreading risk’, warns MP
- Hospitality leaders angered by delay to social distancing review
- New Icelandic budget airline launches, with £30 fares from London
- Abu Dhabi to end quarantine for all international visitors from July
- Covid rules set to be binned in Denmark
Now, on with today’s headlines.