EU countries have agreed to phase out COVID-19 restrictions on travelers from China that were put in place to guard against possible new coronavirus variants after China's reopening prompted a surge in infections there.

Health experts from the 27 EU members agreed at a meeting on Thursday that they would end the requirement for negative pre-departure COVID tests by the end of February, the Swedish presidency of the EU said.

They would also stop random testing of travelers from China by the middle of March.