After taking into account the current COVID-19 situation and concluding that travel restrictions no longer have a significant role in halting the spread of the virus, three other European Union countries – Greece, France, and Belgium – have decided to facilitate their measures.
The Greek authorities announced earlier this month that starting from March 15, vaccinated travelers, regardless of their country of origin, will no longer be required to fill in the Passenger Locator Form.
The decision to remove such a requirement is part of the efforts of the Greek government to further ease the travel measures and thus increase tourism levels.
“The abolition of the PLF simplifies the entry process for travelers, shifting the emphasis to the control of vaccination certificates,” the Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias said.
Such a statement indicates that travelers will still be required to present a valid vaccination certificate upon their entry.
Similar to Greece, Belgium will also lift the passenger Locator Form requirement. Belgium’s Federal Public Service (FPS) Health, Food Chain Safety, and Environment announced that from March 11, travelers reaching Belgium would no longer be required to present the form upon entry.
“The general obligation to complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) is no longer valid. The PLF is only mandatory for those who travel to Belgium with a carrier from a third country that is not on the white list of the European Union,” the authorities said.
In addition, the authorities noted that travelers who hold a vaccination, recovery, or test certificate would no longer be subject to pre-entry testing or quarantine requirement.
The French authorities have revealed that they also plan on easing some rules. The Prime Minister of France, Jean Castex, said that starting from March 14, the requirement to hold a valid pass when accessing different indoor areas such as restaurants, cafes, bars, museums, cinemas, and other similar places will be dropped.
This means that all travelers, as well as citizens of France, will soon be able to attend different public places without being required to show a vaccination pass.
However, it has been emphasized that the obligation to carry a vaccination certificate when attending hospitals, elderly homes, and other health establishments will continue to remain in force, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The French Health Minister, Olivier Véran, said that the obligation to hold a valid vaccination pass would be removed for other places in the upcoming days too. Nonetheless, he did not give a specific date when this might happen.
In addition to the above-mentioned, the French authorities have announced that starting from March 14; the requirement to wear a face mask when attending public places will also be lifted. The requirement will remain effective only for those accessing public transport and health institutions.
