The European Union will reimpose travel restrictions on people entering the bloc from Canada, Tunisia and Georgia due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, EU diplomats said.
It is the first time that travel restrictions have been tightened in about two and a half months.
People coming from Canada, Tunisia and Georgia, who so far were permitted to enter the bloc, are only to be allowed to travel to the EU if the reasons for their journeys are deemed essential.
Conversely, travel restrictions were lifted for Singapore. The EU ambassadors agreed on the amendments on Wednesday, EU diplomats told.
Under the revised guidelines, which still need to be passed in writing, only citizens from Singapore, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, and Uruguay may now enter the bloc without restrictions.
At the outset of the pandemic, the 27 EU countries - except the Republic of Ireland - plus non-members Switzerland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland, banned all but essential travel to the bloc.
New restrictions introduced
The ban was eased in early July, but as infection numbers rise, new restrictions are being introduced.
The list of countries is based on the number of new coronavirus infections registered within the past 14 days.
Other factors include the measures a country takes to restrict the virus' spread, and its overall response to the pandemic.
Exceptions are planned for EU citizens and their families travelling from countries whose citizens are not yet allowed to re-enter.
