FACTS ABOUT THE PROPOSED BAN ON TRAVELLERS TO EUROPE FROM NIGERIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES:
By [url]studyexpress.ng[/url]

In the last few days, we have received several phone calls, emails and inquiries about the proposed ban on some countries by the European Union from July 1st, 2020. People trust our source as a reputable and one of the leading International Students Placement agencies in Nigeria and information from us is always credit-worthy. Even before now, in our article on the 2nd of April 2020 titled "Nigerians Studying Abroad and COVID-19: Implications, Fears and solutions", we had suggested that people should expect stricter immigration measures from many countries across the world after the pandemic.

In view of the proposed ban by EU countries, we want to make some things clear to our students, clients and parents. This is a result of fact-checks we conducted on the proposed policy from the European Union and other bodies.

FACT 1: The European Union plans to open its borders to non-essential travelers such as tourists and most business people from a limited number of countries outside the bloc from July 1.

FACT 2: The EU recommended that the Member States should start allowing third-country nationals to enter the EU starting from July 1, gradually and partially, based on the epidemiological situation in each third-country.

FACT 3: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay are on the list os "safe travelers". China will be included if it lets in EU visitors because reciprocity is a condition.

FACT 4: The EU considers those countries to have similar or better control of the COVID-19 pandemic as the bloc itself, based on the number of cases per 100,000 people in the previous two weeks. The EU average is around 16.

FACT 5: Travellers from the “safe list” countries will potentially be able to go to Europe and then travel freely throughout the Schengen area, which includes 22 EU countries, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

FACT 6: The list will be reviewed every two weeks to add some countries and remove others. It is only a recommendation to EU members, who can still impose some travel restrictions.

[b]FACT 7: [/b]Travel restrictions are not supposed to apply to travellers “with an essential function”, including healthcare workers, seasonal agricultural labour, diplomats, international students and people in need of humanitarian protection.


OTHER SOURCES:

https://studyexpress.ng/2020/07/01/fact-check-the-european-travel-ban-does-not-affect-international-students-from-nigeria/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eu-borders-factbox/factbox-who-can-travel-to-europe-from-wednesday-idUSKBN24130Y

https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/geographical-distribution-2019-ncov-cases

https://www.thelocal.fr/20200616/latest-when-will-travellers-from-outside-europe-be-able-to-visit-france-again

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/confirmed-eu-marks-15-third-countries-as-safe-eu-members-not-obliged-to-open-borders-to-all/