European Union governments plan to remove Japan from their list of countries whose residents should be allowed to visit the bloc during the current phase of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an EU official familiar with the matter.
An update to the EU’s recommended travel "white list” continues to exclude the U.S. and all but seven other nations, the official said Tuesday, asking not to be identified because the deliberations were confidential.
The removal of Japan as a result of increased virus cases in the country leaves just Australia, China, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand as approved places of departure.
The coming EU update follows a resurgence in coronavirus cases in Europe itself and, barring any changes in the plan, is due to be endorsed by member-country envoys on Wednesday in Brussels.
The EU on July 1 recommended that member states allow foreign visitors from 15 countries as part of a move to loosen coronavirus restrictions imposed in mid-March.
Since then, Serbia, Montenegro, Algeria, Morocco, Canada, Tunisia, Georgia and Uruguay have been delisted and Singapore has been added. The EU normally reviews its list roughly every two weeks, with the last change being in mid-December.