COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2021/1459

of 9 September 2021

amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 77(2)(b) and (e) and Article 292, first and second sentence thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 30 June 2020, the Council adopted a Recommendation on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (1) (‘Council Recommendation’).

(2) Since then, the Council adopted Recommendations (EU) 2020/1052 (2), (EU) 2020/1144 (3), (EU) 2020/1186 (4), (EU) 2020/1551 (5), (EU) 2020/2169 (6), (EU) 2021/89 (7), (EU) 2021/132 (8), (EU) 2021/767 (9), (EU) 2021/892 (10), (EU) 2021/992 (11), (EU) 2021/1085 (12), (EU) 2021/1170 (13) and (EU) 2021/1346 (14) amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction.

(3) On 20 May 2021, the Council adopted Recommendation (EU) 2021/816 amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (15) in order to update the criteria used to assess whether non-essential travel from third countries is safe and should be allowed.

(4) The Council Recommendation provides that Member States should gradually lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU as from 1 July 2020 in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries listed in Annex I to the Council Recommendation. Every two weeks, the list of third countries referred to in Annex I should be reviewed, and as the case may be updated, by the Council, after close consultation with the Commission and the relevant EU agencies and services following an overall assessment based on the methodology, criteria and information referred to in the Council Recommendation.

(5) Discussions have since then taken place within the Council, in close consultation with the Commission and the relevant EU agencies and services, on the review of the list of third countries set out in Annex I to the Council Recommendation and in application of the criteria and methodology laid down in the Council Recommendation, as amended by Recommendation (EU) 2021/816. As a result of these discussions, the list of third countries set out in Annex I should be amended. In particular, Uruguay should be added to the list and Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei Darussalam, Japan and Serbia should be removed from the list.

(6) Border control is in the interest not only of the Member State at whose external borders it is carried out but of all Member States which have abolished internal border control. Member States should therefore ensure that measures taken at the external borders are coordinated in order to ensure a well functioning Schengen area. To that end, as of 9 September 2021, Member States should continue lifting the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries, Special Administrative Regions and other entities and territorial authorities listed in Annex I of the Council Recommendation as amended by this Recommendation.

(7) In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the Position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the TFEU, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Recommendation and is not bound by it or subject to its application. Given that this Recommendation builds upon the Schengen acquis, Denmark shall, in accordance with Article 4 of the said Protocol, decide within a period of six months after the Council has decided on this Recommendation whether it will implement it.

(8) This Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC (16); Ireland is therefore not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

(9) As regards Iceland and Norway, this Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the latter’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A, of Council Decision 1999/437/EC (17).

(10) As regards Switzerland, this Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A, of Decision 1999/437/EC (18) read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2008/146/EC (19).

(11) As regards Liechtenstein, this Recommendation constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1 point A, of Decision 1999/437/EC (20) read in conjunction with Article 3 of Decision 2011/350/EU (21),

HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:

Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912, as amended by Recommendations (EU) 2020/1052, (EU) 2020/1144, (EU) 2020/1186, (EU) 2020/1551, (EU) 2020/2169, (EU) 2021/89, (EU) 2021/132, (EU) 2021/767, (EU) 2021/816, (EU) 2021/892, (EU) 2021/992, (EU) 2021/1085, (EU) 2021/1170 and (EU) 2021/1346, on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction is amended as follows:

(1) The first paragraph of point 1 of the Council Recommendation is replaced by the following: ‘1. As from 9 September 2021, Member States should gradually lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries listed in Annex I.’.

(2) Annex I to the Recommendation is replaced by the following: ‘ANNEX I Third countries, Special Administrative Regions and other entities and territorial authorities whose residents should not be affected by temporary external borders restriction on non-essential travel into the EU: I. STATES 1. AUSTRALIA 2. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 3. CANADA 4. JORDAN 5. NEW ZEALAND 6. QATAR 7. REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA 8. SAUDI ARABIA 9. SINGAPORE 10. SOUTH KOREA 11. UKRAINE 12. URUGUAY 13. CHINA (*1) II. SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Hong Kong SAR Macao SAR III. ENTITIES AND TERRITORIAL AUTHORITIES THAT ARE NOT RECOGNISED AS STATES BY AT LEAST ONE MEMBER STATE Taiwan (*1) subject to confirmation of reciprocity"

Done at Brussels, 9 September 2021. For the Council The President G. DOVŽAN

(1) OJ L 208 I, 1.7.2020, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 230, 17.7.2020, p. 26.

(3) OJ L 248, 31.7.2020, p. 26.

(4) OJ L 261, 11.8.2020, p. 83.

(5) OJ L 354, 26.10.2020, p. 19.

(6) OJ L 431, 21.12.2020, p. 75.

(7) OJ L 33, 29.1.2021, p. 1.

(8) OJ L 41, 4.2.2021, p. 1.

(9) OJ L 165 I, 11.5.2021, p. 66.

(10) OJ L 198, 4.6.2021, p. 1.

(11) OJ L 221, 21.6.2021, p. 12.

(12) OJ L 235, 2.7.2021, p. 27.

(13) OJ L 255, 16.7.2021, p.3.

(14) OJ L 306, 31.8.2021, p. 4.

(15) OJ L 182, 21.5.2021, p. 1.

(16) Council Decision 2002/192/EC of 28 February 2002 concerning Ireland’s request to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20).

(17) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31.

(18) OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 52.

(19) Council Decision 2008/146/EC of 28 January 2008 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 1).

(20) OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 21.

(21) Council Decision 2011/350/EU of 7 March 2011 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, relating to the abolition of checks at internal borders and movement of persons (OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 19).