EU Countries Remove COVID Tests for Chinese Travelers

VIVA – European Union (EU) countries have agreed to remove COVID-19 restrictions for Chinese travelers, which were imposed after China reopened its borders.

According to Sweden, which is chairing the European Union, health experts from 27 EU member states at a meeting on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, agreed to end the requirement for negative COVID-19 test results before departure at the end of February. They will also stop random COVID-19 tests for travelers from China by mid-March.

The move was also approved by non-EU members of the Schengen passport-free zone, namely Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

The countries agreed to random checks of pre- and post-arrival COVID-19 tests on January 4, ahead of China's January 8 easing of travel restrictions, one of the world's most stringent remaining COVID-19 restrictions.

The move was only a recommendation for EU members. Some countries, such as France and Italy, require COVID-19 tests and virus sequencing for passengers from China, although Italy eased its restrictions in late January.