U.K. Travel Curbs Set to Be Eased By France in Coming Days
France to Ease U.K. Travel Restrictions Further in Coming Days
(Bloomberg) -- France plans to further ease restrictions at the border with the U.K. in the coming days, with the fast-spreading omicron variant now the dominant strain in both countries.
Details of the easing will likely be provided by the end of the week, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said in a briefing in Paris Wednesday, following a weekly cabinet meeting.
The French move would come as governments across Europe are starting to re-examine pandemic restrictions after the omicron strain was seen to show lower rates of hospitalizations and deaths despite record infections.
France banned tourists and almost all business travel on Dec. 18, with a stringent list drawn out for exceptions to the rule. Even those who had valid reasons to enter the country were required to show their vaccination status and provide test results from less than 24 hours before their travel.
The country has since broadened the list of reasons for visits, especially for business travelers.
The French restrictions, coming just before the holidays, dealt a blow to the travel industry at one of its peak seasons. Eurostar recently cut the number of trains connecting Paris to London in the face of declining demand.
Earlier today, Alexandre Holroyd, a lawmaker who represents French people living in Nordic countries, said in a tweet that “considerable relief of health-related measures at the borders will be announced soon.”
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