Europe to reopen for travel, easing rules for American tourists

EU governments agreed to allow quarantine-free travel for vaccinated tourists and visitors from countries deemed safe, paving the way for the resumption of hassle-free trans-Atlantic flights. Ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states backed a proposal to waive quarantine for those with coronavirus inoculations approved by its drug regulator, including shots from Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. The approval could be finalized this week and implemented soon after. Unvaccinated travelers can also avoid quarantine if they come from countries that have controlled the Covid-19 outbreak, meaning a 14-day new-case rate of less than 75 per 100,000, according to two officials familiar with the decision. This would likely land the US on a “white list” which is due to be adopted later this week. But with so many Americans already vaccinated, the designation may be less important to the travel industry than whether American officials reciprocate and loosen rules for European visitors. The EU move highlights the importance of trans-Atlantic travel to getting its economies restarted after the decimation of the global coronavirus crisis -- especially in tourist dependent nations such as Greece, Spain and Italy. Opening their doors will give EU countries access to a powerful US travel rebound, while validating a gamble on vaccination that the American and European officials have emphasized over the reliance on strict lockdowns prevalent in Asia.<br/>