A new traffic light system revealed by the government last week means that international travel will no longer be illegal and anyone returning from ‘green list’ countries will not have to quarantine from May 17. 12 countries have been added to the ‘green list’.
Travelers will still need to consult destinations on the green list as they will have their own set of rules and restrictions as far as who can visit abroad.
The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps said last week that the approach was “necessarily cautious.
Countries added to the red list will require passengers to quarantine in a hotel for 10-days upon their return.
The final group of countries are classified as amber, which includes Spain, France and Italy, and requires passengers to quarantine from home for at least 5 days.
People looking to travel abroad should check any restrictions that apply to new arrivals and those destinations will also have their own set of requirements and restrictions.
Responding to the announcement of the ‘green list’ for international travel, British Chambers of Commerce Co-Executive Director Hannah Essex said:
“We welcome this announcement as a first step on the road to a broader resumption of international travel over the coming months. Many businesses will be hoping that this soon leads to a further expansion of the ‘green list’. Firms are eager to reconnect with their overseas customers and suppliers, indeed for many having that access could be key to their very survival.
“Firms want to see government do everything it can to continue to drive down the cost of the tests required for business and leisure travellers. These costs must not be allowed to become an impediment to the viability of businesses reliant on tourism, or on UK firms’ chances of seizing opportunities for global trade and staking a place in growing markets. Government should keep these lists under constant review. Being driven by data and not dates, there should be no hesitation in adding a country to the green list if the data shows it is safe to do so.”
For further details as well as a full list of each classification, please visit the gov.uk website here.