https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Two major changes that were due to come into force in 2022 for travellers entering the EU - an enhanced passport scanning system and the introduction of a €7 visa for tourists - have been delayed for a year. https://www.thelocal.es/20220805/eu-delays-passport-scan-system-and-e7-travel-fee-until-2023 Fri, 05 Aug 2022 13:29:58 +0200 eu-delays-passport-scan-system-and-e7-travel-fee-until-2023 The UK is set to scrap all Covid-19 travel restrictions in what the government described as a "landmark moment". https://www.thelocal.es/20220315/travel-in-europe-uk-to-scrap-all-travel-covid-travel-rules Tue, 15 Mar 2022 12:23:56 +0100 travel-in-europe-uk-to-scrap-all-travel-covid-travel-rules The French government announced on Thursday that is has temporarily lifted its ban on UK nationals travelling through France to return to their homes in the EU, to avoid large numbers of Brits being stranded in the UK after the Christmas holidays. https://www.thelocal.es/20211230/breaking-france-suspends-transit-ban-for-brits-living-in-eu Thu, 30 Dec 2021 18:00:17 +0100 breaking-france-suspends-transit-ban-for-brits-living-in-eu People vaccinated in an EU or Schengen zone country are being warned that they may have to self-isolate if they travel to the UK, since the British contact tracing service does not recognise them as being fully vaccinated. https://www.thelocal.es/20211025/european-travellers-warned-they-may-to-self-isolate-in-uk Mon, 25 Oct 2021 13:49:12 +0200 european-travellers-warned-they-may-to-self-isolate-in-uk The UK government has changed its travel rules to demand that fully vaccinated arrivals in England must quarantine if they had two different vaccine doses - a practice common across Europe and taken up by thousands including German chancellor Angela Merkel. https://www.thelocal.es/20210813/uk-changes-travel-rules-again-to-impose-quarantine-on-european-arrivals-who-had-mixed-vaccine-doses Fri, 13 Aug 2021 17:58:57 +0200 uk-changes-travel-rules-again-to-impose-quarantine-on-european-arrivals-who-had-mixed-vaccine-doses France has announced stricter restrictions on unvaccinated travellers from several countries that have reported high numbers of Covid cases linked to the delta variant of the virus - the UK, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Greece. https://www.thelocal.es/20210713/france-tightens-travel-restrictions-for-uk-spain-and-portugal-over-delta-variant-fears Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:31:41 +0200 france-tightens-travel-restrictions-for-uk-spain-and-portugal-over-delta-variant-fears Travel into France from within the EU is now much more relaxed, with no need to justify essential reasons for travel and fully-vaccinated travellers no longer required to present a Covid test - but what about people coming from non-EU countries such as the UK and USA? https://www.thelocal.es/20210610/can-non-vaccinated-travellers-enter-france-via-eu-countries-like-spain Thu, 10 Jun 2021 14:04:23 +0200 can-non-vaccinated-travellers-enter-france-via-eu-countries-like-spain As borders around Europe gradually open, travellers from the UK find themselves in the odd position of being allowed to travel but officially advised against it by the government. Here's what that means for people with family in different countries, second-home owners and tourists. https://www.thelocal.es/20210518/what-does-uks-new-travel-advice-for-europes-amber-countries-mean Tue, 18 May 2021 13:24:36 +0200 what-does-uks-new-travel-advice-for-europes-amber-countries-mean With flight cancellations and travel restrictions, many of our readers have been asking if it's possible to drive between Spain and the UK, going via France. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.es/20210218/reader-question-can-i-travel-between-spain-and-the-uk-via-france Thu, 18 Feb 2021 12:49:11 +0100 reader-question-can-i-travel-between-spain-and-the-uk-via-france The European Commission has proposed creating new "dark red zones" which would be subject to tight travel restrictions whilst Europeans have been "strongly discouraged" from all but essential travel within the EU as Covid-19 infections rise. https://www.thelocal.es/20210122/europeans-urged-not-to-travel-as-eu-agency-demands-tighter-measures Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:24:12 +0100 europeans-urged-not-to-travel-as-eu-agency-demands-tighter-measures The UK government has announced that it is introducing new rules stating that all arrivals into the country will need to present a negative Covid test. https://www.thelocal.es/20210108/all-arrivals-into-the-uk-will-soon-need-a-negative-covid-test-government-announced Fri, 08 Jan 2021 11:22:26 +0100 all-arrivals-into-the-uk-will-soon-need-a-negative-covid-test-government-announced Tourists from the UK look set to be included in the EU's ban on non-essential travel after the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31st, unless the European Council decides otherwise. https://www.thelocal.es/20201126/british-people-could-face-covid-19-travel-restriction-in-europe-from-january Thu, 26 Nov 2020 12:03:54 +0100 british-people-could-face-covid-19-travel-restriction-in-europe-from-january Children 6 and over and all adults will have to wear face masks on all European flights after EU transport ministers agreed new security measures to battle the spread of coronavirus. https://www.thelocal.es/20200724/eu-to-make-face-masks-compulsory-on-all-european-flights Fri, 24 Jul 2020 11:52:37 +0200 eu-to-make-face-masks-compulsory-on-all-european-flights High speed train services between France and Spain - suspended during the lockdown and border closures - have now restarted. https://www.thelocal.es/20200622/high-speed-train-services-to-restart-between-france-and-spain-as-border-restrictions-lift Mon, 22 Jun 2020 16:31:52 +0200 high-speed-train-services-to-restart-between-france-and-spain-as-border-restrictions-lift American travellers look set to be denied entry to the EU when the bloc reopens its borders on July 1st, according to reports. While those from Australia and New Zealand will likely to be allowed to return. https://www.thelocal.es/20200623/will-americans-be-barred-from-travel-to-europe Wed, 24 Jun 2020 00:28:46 +0200 will-americans-be-barred-from-travel-to-europe The new website Re-open.eu gives detailed, country-specific information about potential travel restrictions, what services are open as well as the latest on the coronavirus spread. https://www.thelocal.es/20200616/new-eu-website-helps-tourists-choose-holiday-spot-during-coronavirus-pandemic Tue, 16 Jun 2020 11:51:32 +0200 new-eu-website-helps-tourists-choose-holiday-spot-during-coronavirus-pandemic The EU's external borders have been effectively closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic but the European Commission is set to announce a plan for a "progressive and partial" reopening of them from July 1st. https://www.thelocal.es/20200610/eu-proposes-progressive-and-partial-reopening-of-borders-in-july Wed, 10 Jun 2020 15:11:04 +0200 eu-proposes-progressive-and-partial-reopening-of-borders-in-july From June 8th, the UK has introduced a compulsory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals to its shores - here's what you need to know about the rules if you are travelling from Europe. https://www.thelocal.es/20200608/what-you-need-to-know-about-uk-quarantine-if-you-are-travelling-from-europe Mon, 08 Jun 2020 11:43:45 +0200 what-you-need-to-know-about-uk-quarantine-if-you-are-travelling-from-europe France will impose quarantine on travellers arriving from Spain in a reciprocal measure after Madrid decided to restrict arrivals from Europe's Schengen zone, a presidential official said on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.es/20200515/france-to-quarantine-travellers-arriving-from-spain Fri, 15 May 2020 09:56:30 +0200 france-to-quarantine-travellers-arriving-from-spain Catalan separatists have blocked traffic on two routes connecting Spain and France, on the fifth day of protests over the jailing of nine of their leaders, the transport ministry said on Friday. https://www.thelocal.es/20191018/roads-blocked-between-france-and-spain-by-catalan-separatist-protesters Fri, 18 Oct 2019 11:51:58 +0200 roads-blocked-between-france-and-spain-by-catalan-separatist-protesters