Vaccinated U.S. residents will be allowed to visit Europe, starting this summer

Fully vaccinated U.S. residents will be permitted travel to Europe this summer, according to European Union officials.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said in an interview with the New York Times published Sunday that all member states of the European Union will allow U.S. residents who have received an approved vaccine to travel to the continent this summer.

"The Americans, as far as I can see, use European Medicines Agency-approved vaccines. This will enable free movement and the travel to the European Union." Von der Leyen said. "All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by E.M.A."

The announcement comes more than a year after the EU banned most nonessential travel to the continent to slow the spread of the virus.

Talks are currently in place between the EU and the U.S. to set up proper identification like vaccine passports and vaccine certificates for vacation goers to prove their immunization. The International Air Transport Association is currently developing an app for travelers to share tests and vaccination results with governments, according to NPR.

Some countries have already opened their borders, such as Greece, which reopened its borders last month, and Malta, the small island nation in the Mediterranean, announced it would pay people to visit the island.