Double-jabbed Brits hoping for a holiday in Europe were given fresh hope today by German leader Angela Merkel.
The Chancellor has led a push on the Continent to persuade EU chiefs that UK tourists should be forced to quarantine on arrival – even if they have been fully inoculated.
The drive came amid a surge in British cases, fuelled by the Delta (Indian) variant.
But, following 90 minutes of talks with Boris Johnson at his country home Chequers, Mrs Merkel said Germany is set to let double-jabbed Brits visit the country quarantine-free in the "foreseeable future".
Ghe refused to put a date on when travel restrictions might be lifted for Brits who have had both doses. But she told a joint press conference: "We have adopted certain protective measures when we were not as yet so familiar with the Delta variant.
“We now see that the share of the Delta variant in Germany is increasing very rapidly.
“We’re reviewing continuously our travel restrictions, and we think that in the foreseeable future, those who’ve received double jabs will then, according to our classification - and now Britain obviously is a high incidence area - will be able to travel again without having to go into quarantine.
“We would like to encourage people to be vaccinated in the beginning we didn’t have that much experience with this variant, but we’re dealing with it.”
Thanks to the rise of the Delta variant, people can only enter Germany from the UK if they are German citizens or residents, or their partners or children.
They must quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Germany - and other travellers from the UK to Germany are banned completely.
Chancellor Merkel insisted: “It’s not only Germany that poses travel restrictions. The UK too has done quite a lot in order to protect its own citizens and that is a continuous learning process.
“We have to adjust it time and again to the most recent developments.”
Boris Johnson praised the comments, saying: "It sounds as though progress is being made."
The Prime Minister hosted his German counterpart at his country residence Chequers for her final UK visit before stepping down as Chancellor later this year.
The pair dined on a tart fine of English asparagus and a micro salad, Oxfordshire beef fillet with slow braised beek cheek rosti, creamed leeks, shallots, wild mushroom and mustard jus, and a baked egg custard tart with blackberry ice cream.
Mrs Merkel also addressed a virtual meeting of the Cabinet – the first foreign leader to do so since Bill Clinton in 1997 – while the two leaders discussed relations between London and Berlin.
Mrs Merkel was also due to meet the Queen at Windsor Castle later on Friday afternoon.
Mrs Merkel has been pressing EU leaders to impose tough quarantine requirements on arrivals to the bloc from Britain, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated.
The move could derail British attempts to allow double-jabbed Brits to travel to amber list countries without having to self-isolate when they return to the UK.
It would potentially mean Brits could come back from Germany without isolating - but not be able to go out there in the first place.
The pair agreed on an energy superhighway that Boris Johnson claimed will use German sunshine to brew English tea, and British wind power to produce German Bratwurst.
The German and UK Cabinets will meet every year to discuss shared issues, they announced.
But Mr Johnson brought up the UK's furious row with the EU over sausages - after a grace period on chilled meats travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland was extended to September 30 at the 11th hour.
The PM told a press conference at Chequers: "Imagine if Bratwurst could not be moved from Dortmund to Dusseldorf because of the jurisdiction of an international court - you'd think it was absolutely extraordinary.
"So we have to sort it out. I'm sure as Angela says with good will and with patience we can sort it out. Hopefully as we said at our bilateral when it comes to chilled meats the wurst is behind us, as I think Angela said, or maybe I said that."
Mrs Merkel insisting despite the two sides still being split over the Northern Ireland protocol, "we can find pragmatic solutions that maintain the integrity of the single market but will also contribute to creating acceptable solutions for the people."
She added: "It should be possible for all of us to come to a pragmatic solution within this grace period and I’m optimistic this can happen."
Meanwhile, up to five million Brits who have had Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs manufactured in India could be barred from European holidays because their vaccinations are not recognised by the EU's passport scheme.
Doses from the Serum Institute of India have not been approved by the European Medicines Agency.
But Boris Johnson insisted: "I see no reason at all why the MHRA-approved vaccines should not be recognised as part of the vaccine passports, and I am very confident that that will not prove to be a problem."
Professor Adam Finn, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation told the BBC: “This is an administrative hurdle that needs to be straightened out... it's clearly, ultimately not in anyone's interest, including the European Union, to create hurdles that don't need to be there."
He added: "I would anticipate that this will get straightened out in due course.”
Meanwhile Mrs Merkel said she was glad "England is happy" after a rare football victory over Germany at Euro 2020.
The Prime Minister told a joint press conference after their meeting at Chequers: "In the course of that time some things have changed beyond recognition but for much of your tenure it was certainly a tradition, Angela, for England to lose to Germany in international football tournaments.
"I'm obviously grateful to you for breaking with that tradition, just for once."
Mrs Merkel replied: "On football, obviously this was not a voluntary offer on my side to create the right climate, the right mood for this visit."
She added: "You deserved it. We were a little bit sad I must admit but now best of luck to the British team to all of the matches."
