Irish tourists traveling abroad from next month will be able to move freely anywhere in the EU with proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test.
EU Ministers have decided to support the Council recommendations at a meeting of the General Affairs Council on Tuesday. This means anyone meeting the listed criteria will not face any extra measures, such as additional testing or quarantine.
Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and the EU’s 27 member states are all involved in this agreement, which is good news for Irish holidaymakers looking to jet off to popular destinations from next week.
People will be permitted to travel freely in the EU if they have recovered from Covid-19 in the last 180 days, and passengers who have had a PCR test 72 hours before arriving or an antigen test 24 hours before.
People who have had their first course of vaccination a maximum of 270 days ago, or if they have received a booster shot, are also allowed to travel.
The rules will officially become effective on February 1 and are the clearest sign yet that the leaders are accepting Covid-19 will be a part of everyday life going forward.