UK travellers could be banned from EU after January 1 under COVID-19 rules

Travellers from the UK could be banned from entering the European Union from January 1 under current coronavirus restrictions.

From that date, UK travellers will be subject to the same travel restrictions as all other non-EU countries which, due to the coronavirus pandemic, bars all but essential travel to Europe, a European Commission official told CNN on Thursday.

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The current Brexit transition period ends on December 31 and these travel restrictions will still apply even if the UK and EU strike a trade deal.

"The UK is not part of the Schengen area and - following the end of the transition period - it will also no longer be treated similarly to a member state," a European Commission official said.

"(The UK) will be subject to the (EU) Council Recommendation on the external travel restriction."

The criteria in the recommendation set out by the European Council is primarily based on whether a particular country's epidemiological situation is better or lower than the EU average.

It also includes other factors such as "containment measures, including physical distancing, as well as economic and social considerations."

Reciprocal arrangements governing whether EU citizens are allowed to travel to that country "should also be taken into account regularly and on a case-by-case basis," the recommendation says.

In October, EU member states decided that only eight countries met the criteria of a "safe country," including Australia, Japan and New Zealand.

"The council is responsible for reviewing the list of third countries towards which the travel restriction is lifted and the council will therefore need to consider the inclusion of the UK," said the European Commission official.

The UK will be considered with other non-EU countries at the next review, scheduled to take place in the week of December 14, an EU Official at the European Council told CNN.

"The list of countries for which restrictions should be lifted is reviewed and, as the case may be, updated regularly," the council official explained, adding it was too early to "confirm at this stage what the status of a country will be on 1 January."

Essential travel is categorised into 11 areas, including healthcare professionals, passengers in transit, diplomats and people travelling for imperative family reasons.

The UK has recorded the highest number of coronavirus deaths in Europe, with more than 62,000 fatalities.