Faced with the emergence and spread of the Omicron variant, several countries have reinforced their entrance requirements. This is the case of Greece now requiring travelers – vaccinated or not – to present a 48-hour-old negative PCR tests; the UK also requiring a negative test before departure for vaccinees and non-vaccinated people without any distinction; or even Portugal where a negative 72-hour-old PCR tests or a negative 48-hour-old antigenic test is required from non-vaccinated and vaccinated travelers.
This Thursday December 16, 2021, at the end of the European Council in Brussels, Emmanuel Macron announced France “does not consider instating test” for travelers from European Union countries, unlike countries from other countries in the world.
“We are not considering instating tests within the European Union, as we are deeply attached to the smooth functioning of our common space”, the head of state claimed. Since then, the Elysée palace has specified the statement applied to PCR and antigenic tests.
Furthermore: “from the moment such or such variant is found in an EU country, it spreads in the others”, considering borders within the EU have a “very limited effectiveness” because cross-border workers – who are exempted from tests – represent most travels between EU countries.
