The European Commission has recommended that European nations “discontinue” their travel bans on people in the UK, citing the need to protect essential travel and avoid disruption in supply chains.
Flight and travel bans on people in the UK should be removed to allow for “essential travel and avoid supply chain disruptions,” the Commission said on Tuesday.
Brussels’ recommendation will be put to EU ambassadors later on Tuesday.
Didier Reynders, the EU’s justice commissioner, said that “given the current uncertainties and in light of the precautionary principle, member states should take coordinated action to discourage non-essential travel between the UK and the EU.”
Reynders claimed that “blanket travel bans” should not prevent thousands of EU citizens from returning home for the Christmas period.
The justice commissioner said that a balance needed to be found between stopping the spread of the new Covid-19 strain and causing severe disruption.
“While precautions are needed to contain the spread of the new coronavirus variant, with today’s recommendation, we therefore ensure that the restrictions are coordinated and provide for the necessary exemptions for citizens and residents returning home and other essential travelers,” the justice commissioner noted.
People in the UK find themselves subject to travel bans around the world as governments fear the spread of a new ‘highly contagious’ strain of Covid which has been detected in Britain.
The strain is supposedly 70 percent more contagious.
Travel bans imposed on the UK, including one by France, have seen supply chains disrupted and huge tailbacks at British ports.
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