Biden rejects Trump’s push to lift COVID-19 European travel restrictions
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — Jan 20, 2021
The outgoing US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on Monday to lift the travel ban on the countries of Europe, including the United Kingdom, starting from January 26.
He said the ban would be lifted from 26 January, the same day new Covid-19 test rules take effect for almost all worldwide air passengers arriving in the US.
Reuters first reported Trump's action earlier on Monday.
"Those jurisdictions' responses to the pandemic, their lack of transparency, and their lack of cooperation with the United States thus far in combatting the pandemic, cast doubt on their cooperation in implementing CDC's January 12, 2021, order", Trump said.
"On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26", tweeted Jen Psaki, Biden's press secretary.
Biden will be inaugurated tomorrow, after a rocky handover of power and in the midst of an alarming surge of Covid-19 cases in the US.
Two days before leaving the White House, the outgoing USA president rescinded restrictions barring non-US citizens arriving from Britain, where coronavirus cases have been surging, as well as Brazil and the European Union.
The US imposed the restrictions on Europe last March and the Brazilian entry ban was put in place in May.
Last week, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed an order requiring almost all air travellers to present a negative coronavirus test or proof of recovery from Covid-19 to enter the U.S. starting on Jan 26.
Travellers need to present a negative Covid-19 test to enter the USA starting on Jan 26.
Biden, once in office, has the legal authority to reimpose the restrictions.
Airlines had hoped the new testing requirements would clear the way for the administration to lift the restrictions that reduced travel from some European countries by 95 percent or more.
Earlier in the day, Trump issued another executive order aiming to alleviate regulatory burdens on Americans by ensuring that they are fully aware of potential criminal liability for violations of regulations.
Many administration officials for months argued the restrictions no longer made sense given most countries were not subject to the entry bans. The ban was extended to European countries on March 14, the U.S. shutting itself off from the world as the pandemic entered full force.
Nevertheless, the proclamation left in place travel restrictions on China and Iran, according to the released document.
