EU may be set to allow US tourists to travel by summer

The European Union is moving closer to opening the bloc to US tourists, the bloc's highest-ranking official said.

In an interview with the New York Times, the head of the European Commission said that "all 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by [European Medicines Agency]."

Ursula von der Leyen did not provide an exact timeline for any changes, but her remarks were the first by such a high-ranking official that a change was afoot based on vaccination certificates.

Von der Leyen put the changes of tack down to the fast pace of vaccination in the US and talks over how to make inoculation certificates a valid proof of immunity for non-essential travellers.

She also described the US vaccination programme has "on track", going on to explain that it had made "huge progress" towards reaching so-called 'herd immunity'.

Talks aimed at reopening travel between both shores of the Atlantic had reportedly been ongoing for several weeks.

Similar arrangements for restoring cross-border travel within the EU's 27 member countries, although individual member states may reserve the right to impose their own limitations on would be tourists, the NY Times reported.

Reopening trans-Atlantic travel would potentially constitute a major move back towards a degree of normality, particularly for the sector that had been hardest-hit by the pandemic, travel and leisure.

The EMA had already approved for use the vaccine shots developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson&Johnson.

Greece had already opened its borders to travellers from the US who could provide a proof of vaccination or negative coronavirus test.

As of 0932 BST, shares of British Airways owner, IAG, were trading up 3.92% to 204.45p, alongside a 3.51% gain for EasyJet shares.

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