Italy drops COVID-19 certificate requirement for international travelers

By Alvise Armellini

ROME (AA) – Italy will no longer ask people coming from abroad for a COVID-19 certificate from Wednesday.

Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement he will not renew a decree that introduced the requirement, which expires on May 31.

Tourism Minister Massimo Garavaglia welcomed the move as a “very positive and timely” decision that will offer foreigners another reason to visit Italy during the summer.

In line with European peers, the Italian government has relaxed COVID-19 rules in recent weeks and months.

Masks are still compulsory for buses, trains, planes, ferries, cinemas, theaters and indoor sporting events, but the rule expires on June 15 and it is unclear if it will be extended.

Italy has reported nearly 17.4 million coronavirus infections and more than 166,000 deaths to date, but numbers have dropped significantly recently.