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

Security checks at Barcelona's T1 terminal on July 31, 2020 (by Norma Vidal)
Security checks at Barcelona's T1 terminal on July 31, 2020 (by Norma Vidal) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

December 8, 2020 12:08 PM

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

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