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TRAVEL NEWS

UK to allow fully vaccinated travellers from Europe to skip quarantine (but not tests)

The UK government has announced details of how fully vaccinated travellers from countries in Europe to the UK can skip the mandatory 10-day quarantine when arriving in England, Scotland and Wales.

UK to allow fully vaccinated travellers from Europe to skip quarantine (but not tests)
(Photo by Niklas HALLE'N / AFP)

Transport Minister Grant Shapps took to Twitter to announce the move, saying the UK government was “helping to reunite friends and families”. 

“We’re helping reunite people living in the US and European countries with their family and friends in the UK,” he said. The relaxation applies to arrivals in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland was set to consider the quarantine rules on Thursday. 

The relaxation does not affect travellers from France given that the UK recently ranked France as effectively “amber plus”.

“Separate rules will continue to apply for those arriving from France,” the government said.

The UK government had previously relaxed the quarantine rules only for arrivals from amber-level countries who had been vaccinated under the British National Health System.

That caused much anger among Britons living abroad, who complained they were effectively being barred from seeing family at home.

After much speculation in recent days the UK government has finally moved to level the playing field.

Now from 4am on August 2nd any travellers from amber level countries – which includes the majority of European nations –  arriving in Britain who have been fully inoculated with a vaccine recognised by the European Medical Agency or Swiss vaccination programme (Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Moderna or Johnson &Johnson) can now skip the mandatory 10 day quarantine.

“The UK Government has today (28 July) announced that passengers arriving from amber countries who have been fully vaccinated in Europe (EU Member States, European Free Trade Association countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) and the European microstate countries of Andorra, Monaco and Vatican City) and the USA will not have to quarantine when entering England, as part of a range of new measures designed to continue to drive forward the reopening of international travel,” said a statement from London.

However travellers (apart from children under 10) will still need to provide a negative test no more than three days prior to travel and take a PCR test on the second day after arriving in the country (apart from children aged 4 and under).

Passengers from all countries also cannot travel to the UK unless they have completed a Passenger Locator Form. 

One thing that wasn’t immediately clear from the government’s statement is whether the PCR test needed on day 2 after arrival needed to be booked in advance of travel as is currently the case.

The UK does accept lateral flow or antigen tests for pre-travel requirements.

The relaxation for the moment does not apply to travellers from France – whether returning British residents or people living in France – given that the UK ranked France as a so-called “amber plus” country.

That last-minute decision caused much anger and bafflement because the UK government said it was based on the spread of the Beta variant in France – which has in fact been falling and remains less than five percent of all cases.

In recent days there has been speculation the British government will return France to normal amber level but not announcement has yet been made.

What has the reaction been from Britons in Europe?

Many took to Twitter as usual following the UK announcement to express relief at the move but also annoyance that they would still have to take PCR tests in the UK, which can be costly.

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Member comments

  1. As an American living in France who hasn’t seen my daughter in the UK for a year, I’m just plain angry. I have even been vaccinated with the OXFORD AstraZeneca vaccine, and I still can’t travel into the UK without quarantining. Why single out France except for political retribution? As the article states, it is NOT for any health reason, at this point.

        1. For vaccinated individuals the pre travel Covid tests and day 2 tests are a nonsense. Furthermore how is a family supposed to go to the UK when children have to vaccinate. We all know that children under 18 are not being vaccinated.

  2. So what happens if we want to drive back to visit relatives in the UK from Germany, driving through France to get Eurotunnel?🤷‍♀️

    1. You currently still have to quarantine but this is likely to change next Wednesday when/if France moves from amber+ to amber

    2. For anyone who has been in France in the last 10 days… even if you are fully vaccinated.

  3. Have booked flight and puzzled what are the requirements if you are going to the UK for just one night. Ie arrival day is day zero and you are leaving on day one. Am guessing you have to book a day 2 test to get into the country but then ditch it and just return on day one? Although as it implies you can have it anytime post arrival up to day two is one obligated regardless to have a test in the limited window?

  4. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england

    “If you will be in England for less than 10 days
    If you’re travelling to England for less than 10 days, you will need to quarantine for the whole of your stay.

    You must still book your day 2 and day 8 travel tests, even if you will no longer be in England on the dates of the tests. You only need to take the tests if you’re still in the country on those dates.”

    My interpretation is that you’d still need to book a day 2 test even if you only plan to stay for 1 day……but you don’t have to take it (?) – stupid.

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STRIKES

German unions call major nationwide transport strike for Monday

German unions called a major transport strike for Monday, March 27th as workers demand higher wages to cope with surging inflation, the latest industrial action in Europe's top economy.

German unions call major nationwide transport strike for Monday

Staff at airports, ports, the railways, buses and subways will walk out during the 24-hour strike, which will start at midnight on Monday, the Verdi and EVG unions announced on Thursday.

For the first time, the unions also want to shut down portions of Germany’s motorway, the Autobahn. This could technically possible via the federally owned Autobahn GmbH, whose staff will also participate in the action.

 “We think there will be extensive participation in the strike,” Verdi chief Frank Werneke told a press conference.

It follows a series of strikes in recent months in Germany in numerous areas, from the postal service to airports and local transport.

Like in many other countries, Germans are struggling with surging inflation after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent food and energy costs soaring.

Verdi represents some 2.5 million public sector employees, while EVG represents workers on the railways and at bus companies.

It is rare for unions to join forces to call a strike in Germany, and it follows a series of failed talks with employers in recent weeks.

Who and where in Germany will be most affected?

Strikes will occur in every state and city where Verdi and EVG have a strong nationwide presence, which is the case in most Bundesländer except Bremen and Hamburg.

In the cities and districts on strike, buses, trams and underground trains may no longer run. Express and school buses would also be affected, as well as the state-owned Deutsche Bahn and other railway companies.

Verdi is also calling for work stoppages at several airports and in public transport in the states of Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Saxony, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bavaria. The motorway company Autobahn GmBH is also to go on strike, as well as the water and shipping administration.

In addition to Deutsche Bahn, the rail companies affected include Transdev, AKN, Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen, erixx, vlexx, eurobahn and Die Länderbahn, according to EVG.

A Deutsche Bahn ICE train travels along a railway line in the Hanover region.

A Deutsche Bahn ICE train travels along a railway line in the Hanover region. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Julian Stratenschulte

According to the unions, the warning strikes at airports concern, on one hand, the negotiations for public service workers, on the other hand local negotiations for ground handling workers as well as the nationwide negotiations for aviation security workers.

The ‘Mega-Strike’, as its dubbed in Germany, on March 27th could be a harbinger of another strike wave around the Easter holidays, which start on Thursday, April 6th this year.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Why travel chaos from transport strikes in Germany could get worse

What are the unions demanding?

The last wage agreement between Deutsche Bahn and EVG was concluded back in 2021, and this agreement is set to expire this year.

To replace it, the union is calling for a new agreement that includes a 12 percent pay increase for workers – amounting to at least €650 extra per month for senior employees and €325 more per month for junior employees. This could boost the pay packets of around 180,000 workers.

Meanwhile, Verdi has been engaged in tough negotiations for around 2.5 million workers in the pubic sector for several weeks.

They’re asking for a 10.5 percent pay increase amounting to at least €500 per month for employees in local administration, hospitals, local transport, waste disposal and other public-sector jobs. 

In the last round of negotiations in late February, employers offered a pay increase of five percent alongside inflation compensation bonuses totalling €2,500.

Verdi rejected this offer, describing it as “an insult” and “declaration of war” on its members. The next round of negotiations is set to take place between March 27th and 29th. 

“For the third round of negotiations, Verdi is now once again increasing the pressure on the employers to present a negotiable offer that meets the demands of the workers,” the union said in a press release Thursday.

Warning strikes in Munich

Public sector workers take part in demos during warning strikes in Munich. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe

Deutsche Bahn, meanwhile, criticised the strike action as “baseless and unnecessary”.

“The EVG must face up to its responsibility and return to the negotiating table immediately,” the company said in a press release put out on Thursday. “Our employees and passengers need a swift solution now, not a big warning strike. We have made a responsible offer and are ready to talk at any time.”

However, EVG remained defiant. 

“The railway companies, like the bus companies of Deutsche Bahn, are running out of employees. One reason for this is the poor pay,” said EVG chairman Martin Burkert in a statement on Thursday.

“Already today, bus and train connections are cancelled time and again because jobs are unfilled or colleagues have fallen ill due to the high workload.”

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Why are there so many strikes in Germany right now?

Part of an ongoing strike wave

In the past weeks and months, public sector workers all over Germany have been going on strike, leading to the closure of public institutions, as well as numerous transport cancellations and delays. Verdi estimates that 400,000 of its members nationwide have taken part in the actions.

A countrywide strike, however, is a rare event in Germany.

Local and long-distance transport, as well as airports all over Germany, were struck simultaneously more than 30 years ago in the course of a strike lasting several weeks.

During this tough industrial action in the public sector in spring 1992, several hundred thousand workers temporarily stopped work.

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