THE NEW EU traffic light system for international travel will come into effect in Ireland from midnight Sunday.

Under the plan, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control will publish a weekly map of the EU using a three-stage colour system to indicate the level of risk in each area.

Levels will be determined by a variety of epidemiological factors including the 14-day incidence per 100,000 population and the level of positive tests.

While different restrictions will be set out for the different colour-coded areas, thre are also new rules in relation to a list of workers who are exempted from adhering to the new regulations. 

The government has already agreed to the list of exempted categories of travellers under the new EU plan. 

Under the traffic light system, travellers who are exempt from the requirement to undergo quarantine measures include:

• Healthcare professionals, health researchers, and elderly care professionals
• Cross-border worker
• Seasonal agricultural workers
• transport workers or transport service providers, including drivers of freight vehicles carrying goods
• Passengers travelling for imperative family reasons
• patients travelling for imperative medical reasons
• pupils, students and trainees who travel abroad on a daily basis
• people travelling business reasons
• diplomats, staff of international organisations and people invited by international organisations whose physical presence is required for the well-functioning of these organisations, military personnel and police officers, and humanitarian aid workers and civil protection personnel in the exercise of their functions
• passengers in transit
• seafarers
• journalists, when performing their duties

The new ECDC map which will apply when traffic light system kicks in for Ireland on Sunday.

Regions currently listed as orange include Norway, Finland, areas in Greece.

Regions in Denmark, Latvia and the Canary Islands have all been removed from amber list. https://t.co/khG08ual79

— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) November 5, 2020

The new ECDC map which will apply when traffic light system kicks in for Ireland was published on Thursday.

Regions currently listed as orange include Norway, Finland, areas in Greece.

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More