Anyone planning on a summer vacation in Europe will find that many countries have now made it easier for non-EU travelers. This comes in the wake of the improving COVID-19 situation, along with high vaccination rates. Let’s have a look at which EU countries have lifted their entry restrictions for all travelers, including those from third countries.

EU/EEA countries that have dropped restrictions

The following is a list of the European Union and European Economic Area countries that have lifted their entry restrictions and now welcome non-EU visitors restriction free.

• Czechia
• Denmark
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Latvia
• Norway
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovenia
• Sweden

According to Euronews, currently, international travelers can enter these 11 EU/EEA countries, regardless of their vaccination status. Meanwhile, non-EU travelers are no longer required to present a valid COVID pass (vaccination, recovery, or negative test certificate) when traveling to any of these countries.

In what is pretty much a “normal” travel situation, visitors only need to have the necessary travel documents, such as a valid passport and a visa (if required).

Domestic COVID-19 restrictions dropped

Along with being able to travel to the countries restriction-free, non-EU travelers also no longer have the hassle of domestic COVID-19 measures, as most of these countries have dropped them.

In other words, visitors from third countries, as well as those traveling within the EU no longer need to carry proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test result when entering indoor public spaces. These include cafes, restaurants, bars, shopping centers, theaters, cinemas, museums, or large public events.

Which other countries are planning to drop restrictions?

Besides the 11 countries listed above, Greece is also planning to remove its COVID-19 entry restrictions for third-country visitors. According to the Greek Minister of Health, Thanos Plevris, all travelers, regardless of their country of origin, will enjoy restriction-free entry to the country from May 2, 2022.

Meanwhile, Greece will also drop domestic COVID-19 measures and during the summer season, visitors will not be required to present valid COVID-19 vaccination, recovery, or negative test proof to access indoor public places and events.

Some popular destinations are keeping restrictions in place

While those 11 countries, plus Greece are planning to drop restrictions, some of the more popular EU destinations will keep them in place. This list includes France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain. In those countries, travelers will still be required to present valid documentation on arrival, so as to not face other entry measures.

Current COVID-19 situation in EU/EEA countries

The decision to drop the entry restrictions and domestic rules comes in the wake of a general improvement in the COVID-19 situation within the EU/EEA. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, the continent of Europe has reported 6,448,828 new COVID-19 infections cases within the last seven days.

As for vaccinations, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has reported that a total of 890,580,539 vaccine doses have been administered across the EU/EEA nations. The data reveals that 72.5 percent of the population has received the primary dose. Meanwhile, another 52.9 percent of the population has received an additional dose of the vaccine.