EU recommends lifting travel restrictions for Taiwan's residents

Brussels and Taipei, June 18 (CNA) Residents in Taiwan could soon be allowed to visit member-states of the European Union (EU) for fun after the regional bloc included Taiwan on its safe travel list on Friday.

Taiwan appeared on a list of 14 countries or territories for which an EU-wide ban for non-essential travel to curb the spread of COVID-19 is recommended to be gradually lifted by its member states, according to a press release from the European Council.

Also included on the list are: Albania, Australia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States, as well as China, which is subject to confirmation of reciprocity.

The list will be reviewed every two weeks based on criteria such as a country or territory's epidemiological situation and overall pandemic response, as well as the reliability of its COVID-19 data, according to the European Council.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomed the development, saying that it reflects the EU's confidence in Taiwan's response measures to the pandemic.

MOFA urged Taiwanese nationals to inquire about relevant entry regulations of their destination as the list is not legally binding and each EU member state may have its own implementing details, such as whether a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is needed.

Meanwhile, the German Institute Taipei, the de facto Germany Embassy in Taiwan, announced on the same day that beginning June 20, Germany will lift all travel restrictions for Taiwan's residents which were put in place after the COVID-19 pandemic erupted in early 2020.

Travel regulations prior to the COVID-19 pandemic will be in effect for people who reside in Taiwan, the German Institute Taipei said in a Facebook post.

However, those who will visit Germany via air travel need to provide a COVID-19 test with negative results, proof of recovery from COVID-19, or evidence of vaccination upon entry, German Institute Taipei added.