EU countries agree on coordinated measures regarding passengers from China
EU countries have not made an immediate test requirement decision for passengers coming from China.
It is stated that EU countries and non-EU Schengen countries have reached an agreement on the implementation of coordinated measures due to the increase in Covid-19 cases in China.
In the decisions taken, it was noted that no direct test obligation was imposed on the passengers, but requesting a test would be "strongly encouraged".
EU countries, EU's relevant institutions and officials responsible for crisis management of Schengen member countries met in Brussels to discuss what to do against the increase in cases in China.
According to the statement made by the European Council, which Sweden holds the term presidency, it was decided that all passengers going to and coming from China should wear medical masks from the meeting.
In the decisions taken at the meeting, it was not directly obligatory for the passengers to have a Covid-19 test.
However, it was reported that EU countries would also be "strongly encouraged" to request a negative test 48 hours before the flight from all passengers from China.
EU members also agreed to analyze the wastewater of airplanes from China and to examine the genome sequencing to monitor the epidemiological situation by taking random samples from passengers.
It was noted that EU countries will reevaluate the situation in mid-January.
After China relaxed its Covid-19 measures at the beginning of last month, many countries, worried about the increasing cases and mass spread in the country, announced that they would take measures for travelers from China.
In addition to EU countries such as Italy, Spain, France, many countries such as the USA, India, Japan, Malaysia, England, Australia and Canada, announced measures for testing and monitoring their health status for passengers traveling from China and their regions.
The EU Commission also wanted the same measures to be implemented in a coordinated manner throughout the union, and the majority of EU countries agreed with this view.
