EU holds off decision on borders, Americans set to be excluded

By Philip Blenkinsop and Tracy Rucinski

 

FILE PHOTO: Tourists are seen by the Bridge of Sighs a day before Italy and neighbouring EU countries open up borders for the first time since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak hit the country, in Venice, Italy June 14, 2020. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

 

BRUSSELS/CHICAGO (Reuters) - European Union countries failed to settle on Friday on a final "safe list" of countries whose residents could travel to the bloc from July, with the United States, Brazil and Russia set to be excluded.

 

Ambassadors from the 27 EU members convened from Friday afternoon to establish criteria for granting quarantine-free access from next Wednesday.

 

A redrawn text of 10-20 countries was put to them, but many said they needed to consult first with their governments, diplomats said. The list did not include the United States, Brazil or Russia, one diplomat said.

 

Discussions were continuing overnight, with the EU countries expected to give informal replies by Saturday evening, people familiar with the matter said.

 

U.S. passengers may be allowed to travel if they meet certain conditions such as passing temperature checks, two U.S. officials said.

 

The European Commission had advised that the bloc first lift internal border controls and then gradually open up to outsiders. However, the first step has not gone according to plan.

 

Greece is mandating COVID-19 tests for arrivals from a range of EU countries, including France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, with self-isolation until results are known.

 

The Czech Republic has said it will not allow in tourists from Portugal, Sweden and part of Poland.

 

There is broad agreement that the bloc should only open up to those with a similar or better epidemiological situation, but there are questions about how to assess a country's handling of the epidemic and the reliability of data.

 

A number of countries, such as Tanzania, Turkmenistan and Laos have no reported cases in the past two weeks, according to EU agency, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

 

Based on ECDC data for the two weeks to Thursday, a range of countries are clearly in a worse situation than the European Union.

 

They include the United States, Mexico, Brazil and much of Latin America, Russia, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

 

Despite pressure from U.S. airlines and unions, the White House has not committed to mandating fresh air travel safety measures in the wake of the pandemic. Discussions between airlines and government officials including Vice President Mike Pence on Friday over temperature checks ended without an agreement.

 

In a statement, Pence's office said the parties also discussed "the best path forward for allowing Americans to safely travel internationally again."

 

The Commission has suggested the western Balkans countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia - should be admitted.

 

However, according to the ECDC data, the number of cases in Bosnia and North Macedonia could be too high.

 

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels, Tracy Rucinski in Chicago and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-27

 

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Can’t blame them for excluding Americans the virus is raging here mainly due to lack of leadership on the federal level 

38 minutes ago, Tug said:

Can’t blame them for excluding Americans the virus is raging here mainly due to lack of leadership on the federal level 

Geez park the lefty rhetoric & read sometime...note this is up to date FACTS

Note those nearly double the case deaths & where they are??

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 20206 yr by meechai

47 minutes ago, Tug said:

Can’t blame them for excluding Americans the virus is raging here mainly due to lack of leadership on the federal level 

Lack of leadership at all levels save for a couple of states.  I don't blame the EU nor Canada for keeping the border closed.

9 minutes ago, meechai said:

Geez park the lefty rhetoric & read sometime...note this is up to date FACTS

Note those nearly double the case deaths & where they are??

 

 

 

Being up-to-date means dealing with the present situation, not with the past. What is the rate of active infections now in the EU vs. the USA?

 

 

1 minute ago, johnpetersen said:

Being up-to-date means dealing with the present situation, not with the past. What is the rate of active infections now in the EU vs. the USA?

 

 

That data is 4 days old as I write this.  UK was harder hit per capita than US.  Cases don't necessarily matter.  Hospitalizations and deaths do matter.

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Can’t blame them for excluding Americans the virus is raging here mainly due to lack of leadership on the federal level 

That is not it.. people from the EU are not allowed into the US already. So why would the EU let Americans in. Trump started it (as almost always)

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

That is not it.. people from the EU are not allowed into the US already. So why would the EU let Americans in. Trump started it (as almost always)

It's both.  Getting on the approved list requires reciprocity and low rates of covid infection.  China has high rates of covid infection despite their lies but EU is willing to let them in if they allow EU citizens to travel there.

1 minute ago, sukhumvitneon said:

It's both.  Getting on the approved list requires reciprocity and low rates of covid infection.  China has high rates of covid infection despite their lies but EU is willing to let them in if they allow EU citizens to travel there.

No its not both China does not have as high a rate as the US currently. Its just Americans that can't see that. Too self centered. They blocked people from the EU coming in for a while now and expect the EU to let them in. There is just one at fault and that is the US and Trump. 

39 minutes ago, meechai said:

Geez park the lefty rhetoric & read sometime...note this is up to date FACTS

Note those nearly double the case deaths & where they are??

 

 

 

So what are the top non-EU countries? 

15 minutes ago, robblok said:

No its not both China does not have as high a rate as the US currently. Its just Americans that can't see that. Too self centered. They blocked people from the EU coming in for a while now and expect the EU to let them in. There is just one at fault and that is the US and Trump. 

You're correct about the travel reciprocity, EU travel ban should be rescinded.  But if you think the CCP isn't lying about their numbers then I can't help you.

Edited June 27, 20206 yr by sukhumvitneon

7 minutes ago, robblok said:

No its not both China does not have as high a rate as the US currently. Its just Americans that can't see that. Too self centered.

With respects, you actually believe ANYTHING China says ? The only country benefiting and having any growth this year would be China, China is responsible for near 500,000 deaths worldwide, China has destroyed the world's economies all over the world, made millions unemployed and opened more markets for their goods, China is currently having issues with Hing Kong and India - both of which the world can do nada about really with the virus about. So, you think they have been honest whilst benefiting ?

As a Brit, I think I'd rather support a self centred America than the Chinese regime. The Chinese people hate the government and their lives - or atleast the ones I lived in China with did

Yes, the U.S. travel restrictions on 26 EU countries, issued March 11, 2020 remains in effect...

 

This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President. 

 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspension-entry-immigrants-nonimmigrants-certain-additional-persons-pose-risk-transmitting-2019-novel-coronavirus/

 

 

Having the EU restrict U.S. citizens seems quite reasonable given the increased daily case numbers in the U.S.

 

Just last week we were at ~ 20,000 new cases daily, while on Friday it was ~ 47,000 and climbing. At this rate we'll be at 100,000 new cases daily by July 4?

 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, sukhumvitneon said:

You're correct about the travel reciprocity, EU travel ban should rescinded.  But if you think the CCP isn't lying about their numbers then I can't help you.

To be honest i put the US with Trump on the same level as the CCP lies wise. I mean a president who calls out to test less (later calls it a joke) plus all his other things is not really trustworthy. 

So neither are particularly trustworthy. The US lost his credit. 

3 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

With respects, you actually believe ANYTHING China says ? The only country benefiting and having any growth this year would be China, China is responsible for near 500,000 deaths worldwide, China has destroyed the world's economies all over the world, made millions unemployed and opened more markets for their goods, China is currently having issues with Hing Kong and India - both of which the world can do nada about really with the virus about. So, you think they have been honest whilst benefiting ?

As a Brit, I think I'd rather support a self centred America than the Chinese regime. The Chinese people hate the government and their lives - or atleast the ones I lived in China with did

Sorry I don't believe this was done on purpose. If there is proof post it otherwise its still an accident. Nobody wants a global crisis. The US on the other hand has lied in the past about for instance chemical weapons in a country they invaded. So neither are really trustworthy. 

23 minutes ago, sukhumvitneon said:

Why would the US lie about having high covid numbers when the incentives are to do exactly the opposite LMAO.  Just another cardboard cutout anti-US TVF member

Not anti US.. anti Trump and his lies big difference.

 

They have high numbers and i think they would be higher if the truth comes out and more tests are done. I think Trump is doing its best to keep numbers lower. The testing remark is not a joke in my book. I think he is doing anything he can to act as if corvid is gone.

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

Not anti US.. anti Trump and his lies big difference.

 

They have high numbers and i think they would be higher if the truth comes out and more tests are done. I think Trump is doing its best to keep numbers lower. The testing remark is not a joke in my book. I think he is doing anything he can to act as if corvid is gone.

5 posts already and you mention Trump in 4. 

 

Time to get a life mate. 

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

They have high numbers and i think they would be higher if the truth comes out and more tests are done.

 

The CDC said the real infection rate may be 10x.

 

Most science-y folks say 5x-10x.

 

So based on 2.553 million that means 12.75 - 25.53 million cases as of Friday COB.

 

 

3 minutes ago, twocatsmac said:

5 posts already and you mention Trump in 4. 

 

Time to get a life mate. 

Because he is the main reason I don't trust the US anymore. No need to get a life I got one already. Just time for the US to vote in a more honest president. 

1 hour ago, meechai said:

Geez park the lefty rhetoric & read sometime...note this is up to date FACTS

Note those nearly double the case deaths & where they are??

 

 

 

Can you now post the other side of the story and quote the actual number of deaths on a per country basis and not the percentage numbers per 100,000. It gives a mislaeding result this way.

 

BTW what were the figures for China or India?

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/horrifying-u-covid-curve-simple-154118809.html

 

'Nuff said.

Edited June 27, 20206 yr by Phoenix Rising

13 minutes ago, robblok said:

Because he is the main reason I don't trust the US anymore. No need to get a life I got one already. Just time for the US to vote in a more honest president. 

Honestly????? ????

7 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Can you now post the other side of the story and quote the actual number of deaths on a per country basis and not the percentage numbers per 100,000. It gives a mislaeding result this way.

 

BTW what were the figures for China or India?

Just curious why are percentage per 100,000 misleading ? I mean seems to me the most honest way to display numbers. Otherwise countries with high population are always shown to be at fault.

 

I mean when I compare the Dutch and Uk cases I take into account that the UK has around 4 times more people. IMHO you should always take into account a countries population.

 

Its a fact that the UK is performing among the worst countries in the world. Not sure why so many from the UK still dispute that its proven time and again. However in Europe and the UK numbers per week are going down in the US they are rising. 

1 hour ago, meechai said:

Geez park the lefty rhetoric & read sometime...note this is up to date FACTS

Note those nearly double the case deaths & where they are??

 

 

 

Who cares, totally irrelevant. Might as well come with with a stat about number of deaths on the plague.

 

It is the present situation that is important, and the USA is not doing good there. So yes, travel to and from the USA should remain restricted for the moment.

2 hours ago, meechai said:

Geez park the lefty rhetoric & read sometime...note this is up to date FACTS

Note those nearly double the case deaths & where they are??

 

 

 

Death people don't spread the virus, the active cases do.

2 hours ago, sukhumvitneon said:

 China has high rates of covid infection despite their lies but EU is willing to let them in if they allow EU citizens to travel there.

Any proof of the high rates or just anti China retoric?

Edited June 27, 20206 yr by FritsSikkink

2 hours ago, sukhumvitneon said:

You're correct about the travel reciprocity, EU travel ban should be rescinded.  But if you think the CCP isn't lying about their numbers then I can't help you.

Given how police-state strict china is - and there are plenty of reports from Westerners living there to confirm it - why do you think that the infection level of china is anything but very low?

1 hour ago, mr336 said:

Honestly?????????

He’s good entertainment though when he’s making a fool of himself in front of the whole world, this stuttering orange clown with the intellect of a subway sandwich. And he exposed that the US really is a trailer park full of imbeciles. 
 

4 hours ago, Tug said:

Can’t blame them for excluding Americans the virus is raging here mainly due to lack of leadership on the federal level 

The American public voted the leadership in, and if unhappy with it, can vote it out. Lip service does little, except to expel hot air. I intend to vote absentee for a change of faces.

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

Can you now post the other side of the story and quote the actual number of deaths on a per country basis and not the percentage numbers per 100,000. It gives a mislaeding result this way.

 

BTW what were the figures for China or India?

Actually, you've got it exactly wrong. It's more misleading to quote the numbers on a per country basis. Take Qatar. Only 109 deaths. But it's population is less than 3 million.