Fully-vaccinated Brits will be able to travel quarantine-free to amber list countries 'from the first week of the school holidays on July 26' as UK ambassadors are told to launch charm offensive on European nations

Double-jabbed Britons will be able to travel quarantine-free to 'amber list' countries from July 26, it was claimed today. 

Ministers want to ease the current international travel rules in time for the start of the school summer holidays. 

The move could reopen travel to much of Europe but the extent to which trips will be possible will be largely determined by the border rules imposed by European capitals. 

As a result, UK ambassadors have been instructed to launch a charm offensive to persuade EU member states to ease restrictions on British travellers. 

European nations currently have a wide array of border rules which apply to travellers from the United Kingdom

Double-jabbed Britons will be able to travel quarantine-free to 'amber list' countries from July 26, it was claimed today

Scrapping the quarantine requirement for the double vaccinated could potentially reopen dozens of countries for foreign travel in what would represent a massive boost for the struggling tourism and aviation sectors

The Government is still advising against travel to and from 'amber list' countries, with people returning to the UK from those nations forced to self-isolate for 10 days. 

Scrapping the quarantine requirement for the double-vaccinated could potentially reopen dozens of countries for foreign travel in what would represent a massive boost for the struggling tourism and aviation sectors. 

The Government is pushing to make holidays abroad easier after 16 months of lockdowns have made international travel difficult. 

There are also growing hopes that the 'green list' of safe countries will be significantly expanded.

A minister told The Times that it is hoped the 'amber list' change for the fully-vaccinated 'will be in place by the first week of the summer holidays'. 

The appointment of Sajid Javid as Health Secretary, viewed as more hawkish on easing restrictions than his predecessor Matt Hancock, has prompted optimism of a swift change. 

One Tory MP said: 'We're basing quite a lot of hope on Sajid Javid, we think his return to government will make a big change in the government's approach to international travel.'

A senior government source said: 'No final decision has been made on timing yet. There are various issues that need to be worked through and we are waiting for public health advice on exemptions and operational factors.

'Those need to be worked through before we set out further details but the expectation is it will be the end of July or the beginning of August.'

The Government is hoping to be able to persuade European nations to ditch quarantine requirements for double-jabbed Brits, with ambassadors told to make the case. 

A Government source told the newspaper: 'The big focus for us is Europe now. All European ambassadors have been told to go lobby.' 

The UK and the EU are closing in on agreeing to the mutual recognition of each other's vaccination apps. 

That would mean Brits could show the app at border control to gain entry to a country because it will show vaccine, testing and infection status. 

Some European countries already offer quarantine-free travel for UK tourists as long as they have a negative PCR test. 

Mutual recognition of the apps would make it much easier for travellers to demonstrate they have tested negative. 

However, some countries led by Germany have adopted a hardline approach to border rules, with all UK travellers forced to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. 

Boris Johnson is due to host Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, at Chequers tomorrow when he will urge her to ease the restrictions.

The importance of mutual recognition of vaccine apps was illustrated this week after British holidaymakers with trips booked to Malta saw their plans thrown into chaos after the country announced it is not accepting the NHS app as proof of vaccination.

The Government is hoping to be able to persuade European nations to ditch quarantine requirements for double-jabbed Brits, with ambassadors told to make the case. Magaluf beach in Mallorca is pictured

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng today said the NHS vaccine app 'should be' good enough for Brits to prove their vaccination status

From Wednesday, travellers from the UK aged 12 and above are only permitted to enter Malta if they have had both doses of a coronavirus vaccine.

But authorities in the central Mediterranean archipelago revealed on Monday that they will only accept printed letters sent by the NHS as proof.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said the NHS app should be good enough to use as proof of vaccination but the UK cannot control what rules are imposed by foreign governments. 

He told Sky News this morning: 'Obviously it should be but I can't guarantee what other governments are going to do, like the Maltese government.

'If I were a traveller I would be very confident that I would be able to go to my destination without any hindrance.'