Filenews 3 February 2021
The Council of Member States adopted a Commission recommendation amending the recommendation on the temporary restriction of unnecessary travel to the EU and the possible lifting of this restriction.
In accordance with the new rules, the following epidemiological criteria should be taken into account in determining the countries for which the restriction on unnecessary travel should be lifted:
- no more than 25 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days
- a steady or decreasing trend of new cases during this period compared to the previous 14 days
- more than 300 tests per 100,000 inhabitants in the previous 7 days, if the data are available in ECDC
- no more than 4% positive tests among all COVID-19 tests carried out in the previous 7 days, if the data are available in ECDC
- the nature of the virus in a country, in particular if alarming mutations of the virus have been detected;
In addition, account may be taken of the overall response to COVID-19, in particular the available information on aspects such as monitoring, contact detection, restriction, processing and reporting as well as the reliability of available sources of information and data and, if necessary, the overall average score in all dimensions for International Health Regulations (IHR).
Reciprocity should continue to be taken into account on a case-by-case basis.
When the epidemiological situation deteriorates rapidly and, in particular, when a high frequency of variants of virus concern is detected, travel restrictions for non-essential travel may be quickly reintroduced. Under the same conditions, Member States may also temporarily restrict the categories of main travellers. Travel justifiably for imperative reasons should remain possible, stresses the Council.
Member States should require persons travelling for any substantive or non-essential reason, with the exception of carriers and frontier workers, to have a negative PCR test no earlier than 72 hours before departure.
In addition, they may require self-isolation, quarantine and contact detection for a period of up to 14 days, as well as further COVID-19 tests as required during the same period. Quarantine and additional tests on or after arrival should be imposed in particular on those travellers arriving from a third country where a variant of concern for the virus has been detected.
With regard to necessary travel, Member States may decide, in a coordinated manner, to waive some of the above measures where they would hinder the very purpose of the journey.
For transport personnel, seafarers and frontier workers, Member States should require no more than a negative rapid antigen test on arrival. For transport personnel coming from a country where a high frequency of variations of concern is detected, Member States may require negative rapid antigen testing prior to departure.
In addition, today, the ambassadors of the Member States agreed on a negotiating mandate for the renewal of temporary measures to help carriers and citizens who cannot meet certain administrative requirements due to the COVID-19 measures taken in the Member States.
The proposal extends the possibility of temporarily extending the validity of specific certificates and licences in the areas of road, rail and inland waterway transport as well as maritime safety. This applies, for example, to driving licences, technical checks on motor vehicles and masters' certificates.
The Council's position allows certificates and licences with expiry dates between 1 September 2020 and 30 June 2021 to be extended by 10 months.
In the case of vocational training certificates and driving licences covered by the May 2020 rules, their validity may be extended by a further six months, or in some cases until 1 July 2021, to address an administrative delay in expired certificates and licences.
If renewals remain impracticable beyond the time frame set out in the Regulation, the Member States concerned may request the Commission to approve a further extension. Such a request must be duly substantiated and the decision to grant the extension requires an assessment that such an extension will not disproportionately increase the risks to transport safety or safety.
Member States which do not need the extensions laid down in the Regulation do not need to implement them. However, in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the single market and continuous cross-border activity, Member States which choose to opt out of certain provisions should accept certificates, authorisations and authorisations whose validity has been extended to other Member States.
Subsequently, the Council today adopted amendments to the so-called Comparative Assessment Regulation concerning the termination of financial benchmarks.
The amendments were made as part of an expected phasing out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) by the end of 2021. The aim of the new rules is to reduce legal uncertainty and avoid risks to financial stability.
In the new framework, the Commission will have the power to replace so-called 'critical benchmarks', which could affect the stability of financial markets in the EU and other relevant benchmarks, if their termination would result in a significant disruption to the functioning of financial markets in the EU.
The Commission will also be able to replace the benchmarks of third countries if their closure will lead to a significant disruption of the functioning of financial markets or create a systemic risk to the financial system in the EU.
The new rules also cover the replacement of a benchmark identified as crucial in a Member State through national legislation.
In addition, amendments to the benchmarking Regulation extend the transitional period for the use of third country benchmarks until the new rules governing the use of such benchmarks are implemented.
Supervised EU entities will be able to use third-country benchmarks by the end of 2023.
The Commission may extend this period further until the end of 2025 in a delegated act to be adopted by 15 June 2023 if it provides evidence that this is necessary in a report to be presented at that time.
Finally, the Commission instructed the European Union's Cyber Security Agency, ENISA, to prepare the EU cybersecurity certification system for 5G networks to help address risks related to technical vulnerabilities in networks and further enhance cyber security. Certification plays a key role in increasing trust and security in digital products and services. A single common certification system would make it easier for businesses to carry out cross-border transactions and for customers to understand the security features of a given product or service.
Source: eyenews/CYPE
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The Council of Ministers
adopted today a proposal providing for a mandatory self-isolation for 72
hours and the carrying out of a PCR laboratory test 72 hours after arrival, to
all passengers arriving from category A and B countries, thus strengthening the measures
implemented at the Airports of the Republic since their re-opening in the
summer of 2020. It is stressed that this
decision is additional to the other measures in force for arrivals depending
on the country of origin. Therefore, the obligation of passengers from
Category B countries to present a negative PCR test result 72 hours prior to
departure is still in force, and at the same time, sampling laboratory tests
continue at Larnaka and Pafos Airports. It is reminded that all passengers,
regardless of the country of departure, must complete the Cyprus Flight Pass Cyprus Flight Pass. It is clarified that the
measure takes effect as of Saturday, 6 February 2021. Also, it is noted that
the cost of the laboratory examination (PCR) 72 hours after arrival is borne
by the citizen. The decision of the Council of
Ministers has taken into account the international bibliography data, so far,
which refer to the increased transmission and aggressive spread of the new
strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as the strong concerns raised at
European level by their detection in several European Union countries.
Today’s decision strengthens the effort of the Ministry of Health, in line
with the recommendations of the ECDC, to control the dispersion of new
strains in the community, until the effects of virus mutations can be
scientifically assessed. It is reminded that since 21
December 2020, Cyprus has implemented additional measures for passengers from
the United Kingdom, adopting the policy of mandatory isolation for a period
of 7 days in hotels in the Republic and the laboratory examination on arrival
and on the 7th day after arrival. Through this practice, as of 21
December 2020, more than 15,000 passengers from the United Kingdom were
examined and 133 positive cases were identified (positivity rate: 0.9 %). (MPO/EK) Category A – Low risk countries at the current stage Mandatory self-isolation for 72 hours and test 72 hours after arrival • Third Countries: 1) Australia, 2) New Zealand, 3) Singapore, 4) Thailand Included in this category are countries with an effective reproduction (Rt) number lower than 1 or/and small number of new diagnoses (<1/100,000 inhabitants per day) or/and small or very small COVID-19 mortality (<5-10/100,000 inhabitants) or/and classification of sporadic cases or clusters of cases according to the WHO or/and at least satisfactory laboratory testing (>3000 tests/100,000 inhabitants). Category B - Countries with possibly low risk but greater uncertainty compared to Category A . Mandatory self-isolation for 72 hours and test 72 hours after arrival • European Union Member States: 1) Germany, 2) Greece, 3) Finland • Schengen countries: 1) Iceland, 2) Norway • Third Countries: 1) Japan, 2) China (including Hong Kong and Macau), 3) South Korea, 4) Rwanda Included in this category are countries with an effective reproduction (Rt) number greater than 1 or/and number of new diagnoses <1/100,000 inhabitants per day or/and increased COVID-19 mortality (>10/100,000 inhabitants) or/and limited laboratory testing (<2000 tests/100,000 inhabitants) or lack of WHO classification It is also clarified that passengers from Category B countries, falling into the following categories, may carry out the molecular examination upon arrival in the Republic: a) Cypriot citizens and family members (alien spouses, underage children and parents thereof), b) all those legally residing in the Republic, c) persons entitled to under the Vienna Convention, d) persons, irrespective of nationality, whose countries of residence do not provide a laboratory testing service (public or private) to those wishing to travel to the Republic of Cyprus and following a relevant announcement. It should be noted that the examination cost will be borne by themselves and in addition, such persons should remain in self-isolation at home until the examination result is issued. Category C – Increased risk countries compared to categories A and B - Covid free certificate or test on arrival self-isolation, test after 10 days then released on negative Covid test, or released after 14 days. ENTRY ONLY ALLOWED TO CYPRUS BY RESIDENTS/SPECIFIC CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE - Separate rules for those coming from the UK. • European Union Member States: 1) Austria, 2) Belgium, 3) Bulgaria, 4) France, 5) Denmark, 6) Estonia, 7) Ireland, 8) Spain, 9) Italy, 10) Croatia, 11) Latvia, 12) Lithuania, 13) Luxemburg, 14) Malta, 15) Netherlands, 16) Hungary, 17) Poland, 18) Portugal, 19) Romania, 20) Slovakia, 21) Slovenia, 22) Sweden, 23) Czech Republic • United Kingdom - mandatory isolation in hotel for 7 days, test on arrival and after 7 days • Small states: 1) Andorra, 2) Monaco, 3) Vatican City, 4) San Marino • Schengen countries: 1) Switzerland, 2) Liechtenstein • Third Countries: 1) Algeria, 2) Morocco, 3) Montenegro, 4) Serbia, 5) Uruguay All countries not included in categories A or B are placed in this category. Some of the countries which are of high risk according to their epidemiological picture, are mentioned above. In accordance with the Infectious Diseases Decree (No.2) of 2021, entry into the Republic from Category C countries shall be allowed only for specific categories of citizens who have the possibility to choose whether to undergo a diagnostic test for COVID19 upon their arrival in Cyprus or have with them a negative RT-PCR test certificate for COVID-19, undertaken within 72 hours prior to departure. It is noted that such persons can either undergo a molecular examination for COVID-19 on the 10th day of their self-isolation, at their own expense, and have their self-isolation terminated provided that the outcome of the molecular examination is negative, or be released on the 14th day of self-isolation provided that they are not COVID-19 positive, according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health. It is underlined that all passengers, regardless of country category, shall be obliged to submit an application for the CyprusFlightPass within 24 hours prior to their departure flight. Moreover, in order to insure public health and the monitoring of the epidemiological situation, a sample molecular laboratory testing of passengers on selected arriving flights will be carried out. |
