COVID-19: travel within the EU
The Council has adopted a recommendation establishing common criteria and a common framework on travel measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Council recommendation on travel measures in the EU
Infographic - A common approach to COVID-19 travel measures in the EU
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Since the beginning of the pandemic, member states have adopted several measures to protect public health, some of which have had a significant impact on the freedom of movement of persons, for example, the introduction of internal border controls or travel restrictions within the EU.
The decision on whether to introduce restrictions on free movement to protect public health remains the responsibility of the member states. To avoid fragmentation and disruption of services, and to ensure transparency and predictability for citizens and businesses, the Council is working to ensure coordination between EU countries.
The Council has adopted a recommendation (EU 2020/1475) establishing common criteria and a common framework on travel measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendation helps member states take decisions in a coordinated manner.
The recommendation was first adopted on 13 October 2020 and it was updated on 1 February and 14 June 2021. A new recommendation was adopted on 25 January 2022 (EU 2022/107) in response to the significant increase in vaccine uptake and the rapid roll-out of the EU digital COVID certificate.
Under the new recommendation, COVID-19 measures should be applied at personal rather than regional level, with the exception of areas where the virus is circulating at very high levels (dark red areas).
- COVID-19: Council adopts a revised recommendation on measures affecting free movement (press release, 25 January 2022)
- COVID-19: Council updates recommendation on free movement restrictions (press release, 14 June 2021)
- COVID-19: Council adopts a recommendation to coordinate measures affecting free movement (press release, 13 October 2020)
People with a valid EU digital COVID certificate
Travellers in possession of a valid EU digital COVID certificate should not be subject to additional restrictions to free movement.
Infographic - EU digital COVID certificate
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A valid EU digital COVID certificate includes:
- a vaccination certificate for a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), where at least 14 and no more than 270 days have passed since the last dose of the primary vaccination series or if the person has received a booster dose
- a negative PCR test result obtained no more than 72 hours before travelling or a negative rapid antigen test obtained no more than 24 hours before travelling
- a certificate of recovery indicating that no more than 180 days have passed since the date of the first positive PCR test result
Member states could also accept vaccination certificates for WHO-approved vaccines.
The certificate has been in use since 1 July 2021. It is valid in all 27 EU countries and is also currently recognised by 33 non-EU countries and territories. The certificate is issued by national authorities free of charge. Holding a certificate is not a precondition for exercising the right to free movement and it is not a travel document.
- EU digital COVID certificate: how it works (background information)
- List of WHO-approved vaccines (World Health Organization)
- List of EU-approved vaccines (European Medicines Agency)
- Recognition by the EU of COVID certificates issued by non-EU countries (European Commission)
People without a valid EU digital COVID certificate
People without a valid EU digital COVID certificate could be required to take a test prior to travelling or no later than 24 hours after arrival.
Transport workers, patients travelling for imperative medical reasons, seafarers and frequent travellers living in border regions should be exempt from this requirement.
Children
Children under 12 years old should not be required to hold an EU digital COVID certificate. The same rules apply to children between 12 and 18 years old as to adults.
Mapping of risk areas and related measures
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) produces a weekly common colour-coded COVID-19 risk map broken down by region with data provided by member states on the following common criteria:
- testing rate: the number of tests per 100 000 people during the last week
- 14-day cumulative cases: the number of new cases per 100 000 people in the last 14 days
- vaccination uptake
EU countries have agreed on four risk area categories: green, orange, red and dark red.
Based on the map, member states should apply measures regarding travel to and from dark red areas, where the virus is circulating at very high levels.
- all non-essential travel to those areas should be discouraged
- possible additional measures for non-vaccinated or non-recovered travellers: testing prior to arrival and quarantine/self-isolation upon arrival
- children under 6 should be exempt from quarantine or testing
- children under 12 should be exempt from quarantine if they have a valid EU digital COVID certificate
Emergency brake
A member state or the European Commission can trigger an emergency brake based on information from ECDC reports:
- if the epidemiological situation in a region deteriorates rapidly
- in particular where a variant of concern or interest is detected
Under the emergency brake, measures such as testing and quarantine can be introduced, including for EU digital COVID certificate holders and essential travellers. If the emergency brake is triggered, EU countries should discuss possible coordinated measures in the Council, in cooperation with the European Commission.
Plan your journey on Re-open EU
Re-open EU is an app and a website for all essential information on borders, available means of transport, travel restrictions, public health and safety measures such as physical distancing and face masks, as well as other practical information for travellers.
You can use the travel planner to plan your safe journeys between EU countries.
All information is available in the 24 official EU languages.
Contact tracing apps
Downloading and using mobile contact-tracing apps can help speed up traditional contact tracing and support the effective tracing of the chain of infection.
You can find links to download apps from EU member states here:
Contact tracing apps across borders
Tracing and warning apps are essential to support contact tracing and help break the chain of COVID-19 infections. Most EU countries have launched a national contact-tracing and warning app which can be used on a voluntary basis.
However, the virus does not stop at borders. Therefore, in addition, the EU has set up together with its member states a new service to allow national apps to talk to each other across borders in Europe.
This new service, called the European Federation Gateway Service or "interoperability gateway", ensures that the apps can exchange data on tracing and that the service's users are warned if they have been in contact with someone who has indicated that they have tested positive for COVID-19, even across borders.
The first national apps were linked on 19 October 2020 when the system went live. More apps have since become interoperable through the service.
The participating member states are jointly responsible for privacy and together they determine the purpose and means of processing personal data through the gateway.
- List of mobile contact tracing apps in the EU (European Commission)
- How tracing and warning apps can help during the pandemic (European Commission)
Passenger rights during the COVID-19 pandemic
Disruptions to European mobility during the pandemic have raised the need for clarity and legal certainty on EU rules on the rights of passengers.
Under EU rules, passengers and travellers have the right to choose between vouchers or a cash reimbursement for cancelled transport tickets (airplane, train, bus/coach and ferries) or package travel.
- Passenger rights in the EU
- Air passenger travel guidance during COVID-19 (European Union Aviation Safety Agency))
Infographic - COVID-19: travel from third countries into the EU (until 28 February 2022)
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Are you travelling from outside the EU?
A temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU is currently in place from many non-EU countries. According to the Council recommendation on temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restrictions, the following categories of persons should be allowed to travel into the EU under certain conditions:
- vaccinated and recovered persons
- essential travellers
- non-essential travellers from countries on the EU's list
If you are looking for the list and for more information on travel restrictions when travelling from third countries into the EU, please consult this page: