The European Union is considering reopening borders to visitors from more than 10 countries outside the bloc — including Japan, South Korea and Canada — from July 1, after months of travel restrictions over the coronavirus outbreak, an EU diplomatic source said.
The region is seeking to gradually revive its economy ahead of the summer travel season by removing the travel ban on nations with infection rates similar to or below that of the European Union. Countries such as the United States, Brazil and Russia, the three most-affected nations at the moment, will remain on the travel ban list, according to the source.
The European Commission — the European Union's executive body — has recommended the reopening of external borders from July 1. The commission is expected to soon reveal a list of countries from which visitors will be allowed to enter, to be reviewed every two weeks. But some EU member states may ask travelers from these countries to undergo quarantine for a certain period, the source said.