Christmas update of countries from which negative PCR test is needed to enter Spain released
Facing criticism, Spanish government opens door to making 'adjustments' to regulation
The Spanish government has already published the latest update of countries from which a negative PCR test is needed in order to enter Spain by air or sea, and it covers Christmas arrivals.
The list, in force from December 14 to December 27, only suffers slight changes compared to the previous one, in operation until December 13.
The main difference is the fact that travelling from a number of regions in Finland will from next Monday require a negative PCR, as well as the entire Greece, Aruba and Jersey (UK).
Meanwhile, traveling from Nordjylland (Denmark), Guadalupe (France), Kuwait and Monaco will no longer require showing a negative PCR.
The new list was published on Monday, coinciding with a comment on the controversial regulation by Spain's foreign minister, Arancha González Laya, who did not rule out making "adjustments" to it.
Her office has faced criticism by a number of citizens, especially because the document proving a negative test can only be in English and Spanish. González Laya's team is "examining" this issue and the minimum age from which such a test is required to fly or sail.
Last week, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) warned that asking for a negative test could be a dangerous policy.
Meanwhile, airlines expressed their concern over this rule, urging that an antigen test be required instead.
"The PCR tests are not a mechanism that the Spanish government has made up to pester people; a number of EU member states have also launched it," said González Laya.
Spain enforced the measure on November 23 and updated it for the first time on November 30, for anyone entering the country by air or sea.
Here's the latest list of countries from January 11 to January 24:
EU-EEA countries
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark (except for Greenland and Faroe Islands)
Estonia
France (except for Brittany and the islands of Corsica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Réunion)
Germany
Greece (except for Attica, Dytiki Ellada, Peloponnese, Sterea Ellada, Voreio Aigao, Epirus, Ionian Islands, Crete, and Notio Aigaio)
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
The Netherlands
Norway (except for Agder, Innlandet, Møre og Romsdal, Nordland,
Rogaland, Trøndelag, Troms og Finnmark, Vestfold og Telemark and Vestland)
Poland
Portugal (except for The Azores)
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Sweden
Non EU-EEA countries
Albania
Andorra
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Belize
Bermuda
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Curaçao
Eswatini (Swaziland)
French Polynesia
Falkland Islands
Georgia
Gibraltar (United Kingdom)
Guam
Iran
Isle of Man (United Kingdom)
Israel
Jersey (United Kingdom)
Jordan
Lebanon
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
North Macedonia
Palestine
Panama
Paraguay
Puerto Rico
Russia
Saint Martin (The Netherlands)
San Marino
Serbia
South Africa
Switzerland
Tunisia
Turkey
Turks and Caicos
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
United States Virgin Islands
Uruguay