‘Red, orange, green’: France prepares Covid traffic light system for travel
France will launch a 'traffic light' system determining the quarantine measures and other travel restrictions for countries outside the European Union, the tourism minister has confirmed.
The system, currently in the works, is one of the steps the French government is taking to ensure a safe reopening this summer, when it expects international travel to pick up again.
“We will be happy to welcome Europeans just as French people will be happy to visit Europe,” Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne told Europe 1 on Saturday.
“Regarding countries that are outside the European area [EU and Schengen zone countries] we will work on lists and colours,” he added.
“There will be the green countries, orange countries and red countries.”
Several countries such as the UK have already put in place similar systems, allowing for travellers coming from ‘green’ countries (with low Covid rates) to escape some of the strictest measures in place on those coming in from ‘red’ countries (with high Covid rates).
The French tourism minister did not clarify the rules for each colour-group, nor did he mention specific countries subject to either colour, other than hinting that “there are only five or six” ‘green’ countries at the moment.
“But with time it will expand,” Lemoyne said, referring to when more people are vaccinated against the virus.
