Summer holiday hopes are rising for Brits after the EU unveiled plans to let in tourists - even if they haven't had a full vaccine.
Brits' hopes of getting to the continent have been boosted thanks to two key proposals by the European Commission today.
Firstly, people who've had both doses of a Covid vaccine for at least 14 days would be allowed into the EU for leisure - no matter which country they're from outside the EU.
And secondly, even people who aren't fully vaccinated will be allowed in if their country has a "good situation" with Covid cases.
That appears to be a crucial breakthrough for Brits under 40, who will have to wait most of the summer to get their second dose.
But Boris Johnson may have poured cold water on the hopes today. The PM warned Brits visiting many countries will still need to isolate when they get back - to stop an "influx" of new variants.
The EU's list of so-called safe countries currently only has seven members and doesn't yet include the UK.
But it appears Britain could now be on the list within weeks under plans to relax key thresholds, unveiled by the Commission.
Brussels officials are recommending countries with a 14-day case rate below 100, rather than 25, be allowed on the safe list. EU figures suggest the UK's 14-day case rate is around 46 per 100,000 people.
EU member states are due to start discussing the proposals tomorrow - and sources have previously suggested travel to the EU could open up in June.
But today's announcement doesn't clear the way yet for families to have a beach break - as travel will depend on UK rules too.
The UK will have a traffic light system splitting countries into three categories - red, amber and green - for arrivals from abroad.
Only Brits returning from green list countries would not have to isolate for 10 days on arrival, and they'll still need to take Covid tests.
The green list is widely expected to be unveiled this week, possibly on Friday.
Boris Johnson confirmed today that the first holidays from the UK will be allowed "on" May 17 - after previously only saying that would be the earliest possible date.
He told reporters today: “We do want to do some opening up on May 17th. I don’t think the people of this country want to see an influx of disease from anywhere else. I certainly don’t and we’ve got to be very very tough and as cautious as we can while we continue to open up.
"I think there will be some openings up on the 17th but we’ve got to be cautious, we’ve got to be sensible, we’ve got to make sure we don’t see the virus coming back in."
Destinations such as Portugal, Malta, Iceland, Finland and Gibraltar have all been tipped as likely 'green list' countries.
But popular holiday destinations such as Spain and Green could initially be on Britain's 'amber list', according to reports - alongside Denmark, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy and Croatia.
Meanwhile, even the EU's plans will still allow countries to block arrivals from certain countries using an "emergency brake".
It comes after MPs urged the Government to "discourage all international leisure travel" this summer to stop new variants coming in.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Coronavirus described airport arrival halls as "a breeding ground for infection".
It recommended passengers returning from green, amber and red countries under the new traffic light system do not mix.
APPG chair Layla Moran told Times Radio: "Even in places that have had very high levels of vaccination - a position that we hope to get to as well - they are seeing the variant start to undermine that effort.
"So our view is encourage people to stay in the UK. The government shouldn't be adding all these countries to the list. Green means go, right? So they're making people excited about this.
"Actually, the messaging from government should be stay at home. Keep us safe. And let's get to the point where the vast majority of the population is vaccinated and other countries have been vaccinated too."
Under the EU rules for vaccinated people, children should be able to travel with their vaccinated parents if they have a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken in the 72 hours before arrival.
A travel firm boss insisted there has been "great progress" in countries such as Portugal and Spain in preparing for the return of holidaymakers.
Thomas Cook chief executive Alan French said he expects most popular destinations, particularly in Europe, to be open to UK holidaymakers.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "When the holidays proper start at the end of June, we are expecting most of the countries that the UK goes on holiday to - Europe particularly - to be open.
"We are expecting Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia and so forth to be open, it would be nice if Turkey was open.
"When we look at what is going on in those countries, both in terms of infection rates and how they are preparing for holidaymakers, I think there is great progress being made."
