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Compulsory testing at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris
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Aurelien Morissard / dpa
Despite a massive corona wave in China, the EU countries have not been able to agree on compulsory testing for travelers from the People's Republic - but strongly recommend it.
As the Swedish Council Presidency announced after a meeting of health experts from the member states in Brussels, the EU countries are being urged to require travelers from China to Europe to have a negative corona test before departure, which should not be older than 48 hours .
There was agreement, among other things, to recommend wearing a medical or FFP2 mask on board the aircraft.
The decision is not binding for the individual EU states, but is considered an important guideline.
The measures are to be reviewed in the middle of the month.
Almost a month after the end of the zero-Covid strategy that had been pursued for almost three years, several hundred million people in the People's Republic have already been infected with the virus.
The huge outbreak is expected to last until March or April.
Exact figures are not available because the authorities have stopped publishing epidemiological data.
Renewed struggle for a common line
The EU countries have been struggling to find a common line in dealing with the corona wave since the end of December.
However, a number of countries such as Italy, France and Spain have already tightened entry regulations.
This brought back memories of the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, when rules across the EU varied from country to country and were difficult for travelers to understand.
At a meeting in Brussels, the 27 EU countries therefore sought a common line - without success.
The World Health Organization on Wednesday expressed understanding for countries that have introduced testing regulations for travelers from China - and again called for more information from the Chinese authorities.
"We continue to demand faster, regular and reliable data on hospital admissions and deaths from China, as well as more comprehensive real-time sequencing of viruses," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"Because the virus circulation in China is so high and comprehensive data is not provided, it is understandable that some countries are taking measures to protect their own citizens." The requirement for tests are not travel restrictions, said WHO emergency response coordinator Mike Ryan.
All-clear from the EU health authority
The EU health authority ECDC had previously given the all-clear regarding the situation in China.
The variants in the People's Republic are already in circulation in the EU and therefore do not pose a challenge to the immune response of EU citizens, it said on Tuesday.
The situation in China is not expected to have any impact on the epidemiological situation in Europe.
sak/dpa