Fully vaccinated Britons can visit EU without restrictions this summer

Individual countries can still make up their own rules

A wooden footbridge leads to the beach at Praia do Camilo in Portugal’s Algarve region (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Fully vaccinated Britons will be allowed to visit Europe without restrictions this summer.

EU ambassadors backed plans to allow UK travellers into the bloc if they have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine, a spokeswoman for the Portuguese presidency of the EU Council confirmed.

However, individual countries are still able to make their own decisions about whether they want to accept British travellers, and the policy will need to be signed off by member states.

Travellers from England are able to use the NHS app to prove they have been fully vaccinated.

Greece and Portugal are two nations that are already accepting travellers from the UK, either fully vaccinated or with proof of a negative PCR test, as they move to bolster their beleaguered tourism industries.

Other countries have moved to indicate their desire to accept British tourists, whether vaccinated or with a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours prior to arrival.

Last week Spain said it would accept British travellers with no PCR test or quarantine requirement from 20 May, thanks to the advanced vaccine roll-out.

The EU’s “safe list”, currently just eight countries strong, will be re-evaluated on Friday to see if other countries, including the UK, will be added.

Holidays from the UK were given the official nod from 17 May, as the government’s traffic light scheme came into effect.

Portugal is the only mainstream tourist destination on the government’s “green” list, which demands the lightest restrictions: no quarantine, and two negative tests on arrival.

Holiday flights to Portugal and its islands, including Madeira and Porto Santo in the Atlantic, began in earnest this week.

Additional reporting by agencies