Starting this summer, the European Union will allow completely vaccinated American tourists to join, according to a top EU official.
In an interview with The New York Times, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that because the United States has been using vaccinations approved by the EU for emergency use, the 27-nation bloc will enable "free movement and travel" to Europe beginning in the summer.
She went on to say, "Because one thing is clear: All 27 member states will welcome, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccinations that have been approved" by the European Union's central medical agency."
The Moderna vaccine, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, all of which are currently in use in the United States, have all been cleared for emergency use in the European Union.
While no clear deadline for welcoming vaccinated visitors into the EU has been set, von der Leyen's remarks are the first by a senior European Union official confirming the Union's plans to reform its entry policies.