Spain to lift restrictions for torists from UK and Japan

Spain has said it is officially lifting Covid-19 restrictions for UK travellers from Monday_ when a decree takes effect.

The government says the UK and Japan will be on a list of countries whose residents are able to avoid restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU. They will not need a PCR test.

UK tourists going to Spain will still have to quarantine on their return.

Meanwhile_ Germany announced that anyone arriving from the UK would have to quarantine for two weeks.

The German public health institute said the decision was related to the Indian Covid-19 variant_ which is responsible for the majority of new cases in parts of England and is believed to spread more quickly.

The UK government still strongly advises against non-essential travel to most other EU countries_ including Germany and Spain.

Earlier_ Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said: "We've been clear people shouldn't be travelling to amber list [nations] for the purpose of holidays. Our advice hasn't changed. We will keep the green list under review& and will add countries where possible."

Portugal is the main destination on the UK's short "green" list of countries that are free of the quarantine requirement. Under the UK's traffic light system_ people are advised to avoid amber and red countries_ where the Covid risk is greater.

The EU is currently deciding on an expanded "white list" of countries whose citizens can enter the EU freely.

Only seven_ with very low Covid infection rates_ are on the list now. Those countries are: Australia_ Israel_ New Zealand_ Rwanda_ Singapore_ South Korea and Thailand.

The BBC has been told a final EU decision on expanding the list has been delayed for another two weeks.

Tourism in Portugal and Spain relies heavily on British visitors in the summer_ and travellers from England_ Scotland and Wales began flying to Portugal last Monday.