The NEW requirements to travel through Europe

The Council of Ministers has approved new requirements for EU citizens travelling through Europe.

The Council of Ministers has approved a new regulation that completely changes travel between citizens belonging to the Member States of the Schengen territory.
For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the 26 countries that comprise the Schengen territory in which there is freedom of movement throughout the European Union, agree on common policies regardless of their epidemiological situation and where they have travelled from.
The regulations will come into force next week, February 1.
What about the Covid passport to travel within the EU?
The Covid passport has already become very important over the last year and will now be an essential requirement to be able to move through any of the 26 Schengen territories without problems. In other words, with the possession of a Covid passport, other requirements such as quarantine or a negative test result will not be required.
How many doses are needed for travel through the EU?
By presenting an official EU Covid passport, you can cross any border as long as you have a complete vaccination schedule. For now, one dose of the Janssen vaccine is valid for travel or recovery from the virus in the last six months. It is only required to have had the second dose 14 days before travelling – although it will expire after 270 days (9 months.) Of course, this is subject to any changes or updates.
What about the unvaccinated?
Unvaccinated people must present a negative PCR test performed 72 hours before the trip or an antigen test with a maximum of 24 hours (until now it was 48 hours.)
Are there exempt people?
Finally, the Council of Ministers has stated that there will be certain people who are exempt from presenting the certificate or a negative test. These are travellers “with an essential function or need, cross-border travellers and children under 12 years of age.”
Of course, the EU states that any of these measures could be withdrawn in the event that “a new variant of concern appears.”

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