Further easing of health restrictions.
The Secretary of State in charge of European Affairs, Clément Beaune, announced this Tuesday morning on France 2 that vaccinated travelers from a foreign country would, "in the coming days", no longer need to have a negative test to come to France.
At present, no negative test is imposed on a vaccinated person coming from a member country of the European Union or from certain others located nearby (Switzerland, Iceland, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Saint -Marin and the Vatican).
On the other hand, passengers who come from another State, i.e. almost all of the globe outside Europe, must present a negative test within 48 hours to travel to France.
And this, whether they are of French or foreign nationality.
The now ultra-majority Omicron variant
This measure had been decided at the very beginning of December, following the emergence of the Omicron variant, very transmissible but still very little present at the time.
It is therefore this rule that will soon disappear (the precise date is not yet known).
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The reason ?
The Omicron variant is now ultra-majority in France and the current wave is in the process of "ebbing", indicates to the Parisian a government source, to justify this reduction to come.
And to specify that “a European recommendation should recommend it in the coming days”.
Legally, France is in any case under no obligation to have the “green light” from Brussels, the seat of the European Commission.
A government source tells us that the compelling reasons should remain in force, in addition to the negative test of less than 48 hours, for non-vaccinated travelers.
The isolation requested of them (from an orange-listed country) or imposed (from a “red” country) could be reduced, but the subject is still debated.