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In a major boost for foreign holidays this summer, negotiators are nearing a deal to unlock travel despite fears over the Delta variant of coronavirus. They are working on the final details of a pact that would allow Britons to use the NHS app to take trips to the Continent. Under the scheme, double-jabbed citizens from EU countries would also be allowed to enter the UK without restrictions.<\/p>\n
No10 officials have been working with their Brussels counterparts in the hope of finalising an agreement in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
A European Commission spokesman said: “There are talks ongoing at the technical level which are progressing well and going in the right direction.<\/p>\n
“This is particularly because the technical system and the architecture of the EU and the UK are aligned.<\/p>\n
“We have been open for working with our international partners from the very beginning and designed the whole system in such a way that this is possible.<\/p>\n
“So it’s good the UK is now working with us towards that goal of achieving such an interoperable solution.”<\/p>\n
Significant progress in the talks has been aided by plans for the NHS app and the EU’s digital green pass to operate in a similar way.<\/p>\n
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Any agreement is also made easier because both sides have the same standards on data protection.<\/p>\n
It comes as EU and national officials discuss plans to curb the spread of the Delta variant.<\/p>\n
Germany and France are expected to table binding plans in a push to enforce mandatory quarantine on all British tourists arriving to the Continent.<\/p>\n
Berlin, with the support of Paris, will move to will call for EU-wide travel restrictions from all high-risk zones alongside a proposal to designate Britain a “variant country of concern”.<\/p>\n
The plans will be discussed today by senior European and national officials on the bloc’s Integrated Political Crisis Response committee.<\/p>\n
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The draconian measures, which could mean that all UK travellers would have to self-isolate for 14 days after arriving on the Continent, will be fiercely resisted by Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal.<\/p>\n
But German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron believe the restrictions are key for reopening internal travel within the EU.<\/p>\n
President Macron has backed mandatory quarantine for unvaccinated travellers.<\/p>\n
Last week EU leaders at a summit in Brussels agreed that they had to be more vigilant in monitoring coronavirus variants.<\/p>\n
They are particularly worried about the Delta variant, which originated in India but is now dominant in the UK, because it is seen as more transmissible than other mutants.<\/p>\n
MUST READ: Nigel Farage highlights plot to bring EU member state ‘to its knees’<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The bloc wants to shield the Continent while their sluggish vaccine rollout catches up with speedier international partners, such as Britain and Israel.<\/p>\n But talks over the finer details of any restrictions are expected to be met by resistance from countries reliant on British tourism to support their pandemic-stricken economies.<\/p>\n Spain, Greece, Portugal and Malta already defy the EU’s “white list” of safe non-European countries to allow non-essential travel.<\/p>\n President Macron has demanded a “harmonised” response and suggested that new restrictions would be the cornerstone of the EU’s so-called “green pass” coronavirus vaccine passport.<\/p>\n Alongside Mrs Merkel, he said that northern Europe have the right to introduce internal travel restrictions, preventing EU travellers from quarantine-free travel.<\/p>\n DON’T MISS<\/strong> President Macron said: “We must remain vigilant on this point, on the necessary co-ordination. This co-ordination also requires that our rules harmonise on the matter of opening to non-EU countries. It’s the key for the European green pass.<\/p>\n “We are perfectly aligned with Angela Merkel. Vigilance with the emergence of this new variant, and of an absolutely indispensable European co-ordination.”<\/p>\n Last week Mrs Merkel used one of her final EU summits in Brussels to appeal for the bloc to adopt Berlin’s hardline rules on travel from Britain.<\/p>\n She wants the EU to enforce a 14-day mandatory quarantine on everyone moving from the UK to the EU amid fears of the Delta variant derailing her country’s vaccines scheme.<\/p>\n Any decision taken at today’s EU meeting is likely to be kicked up by member state ambassadors because of the political nature of any decision.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/secondary\/eu-vaccine-passport-green-pass-3123218.jpg?r=1624890567974\")
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