While France lifted its travel ban on Saturday December 4, to ease the way for returning French nationals and those of the European Union, it simultaneously tightened them for all travellers arriving in France from a non-European country, as a precautionary measure pending data on the properties of the Omicron variant.
This, in essence, means that all travellers arriving from a non-European country, vaccinated or not, will have to provide a negative test at departure (antigen test of less than 24 hours or RT-PCR test of less than 48 hours).
A communiqué from the French government notes that the measure will be reassessed in the light of scientific information on the reality of the threat posed by the Omicron variant.
In addition to the new testing obligation, the conditions set for travel between France and countries classified as orange or red, in particular with regard to the compelling reasons to be justified for travel, are maintained.
The following rules apply to all travellers on the ‘scarlet red’ list of countries:
· Travel to France from these countries is subject to the presentation of a strict compelling reason: French nationals, European nationals or foreigners with their main residence in France will be able to land in France. However, access will not be allowed for professional, tourist, study or research purposes;
· Obligation at departure for an antigen test of less than 24 hours or an RT-PCR test of less than 48 hours for all travellers, regardless of their vaccination status;
· Systematic tests will be carried out on arrival from these countries and all travellers (vaccinated or unvaccinated) must quarantine for 10 days. Those who test positive must quarantine in a place chosen by the authorities, and 10 days in a place of their choice for people who test negative.
Despite global news reports that the European Union was set to discuss the possible lifting of travel bans against Southern African countries at its meeting on Tuesday, December 7, this did not materialise.
Reuters news agency cited a senior EU official as saying: “We are not yet working in that direction.”
