The European Union is set to recommend halting nonessential travel from the U.S. because of the spread of Covid-19, diplomats said on Sunday.
European officials have been considering the move for much of the last month, with the average U.S. infection rate now above that of the EU.
The Slovenian presidency of the EU last week recommended removing the U.S. and five other countries from a list of countries allowed nonessential travel. A final decision is due on Monday. Two diplomats said they weren’t aware of any objections so far.
The EU travel list, which is reviewed every two weeks, isn’t binding on member states, but it has generally set the pattern over the past few months for who can visit the bloc. Some countries may decide to keep permitting U.S. tourists if they can prove they have been vaccinated.
Pressure to remove the U.S. from the travel list has also increased because Washington has maintained a ban on European nonessential travel to the U.S.
