Originally Posted by
NickB
This is incorrect. The limitation to essential travel was for third countries outside the EU/EEA and assimilated, with the UK belonging to the latter until the end of the transitional period and therefore not subject to the "essential travel" limitation. From January 1st, the essential travel limitation would have kicked in as a consequence of the end of the transitional period during which the UK is assimilated to an EU Member-State for a number of purposes, including movements into and within the EU.
THe kicking-in of an essential travel now rather than in January is a consequence of the new virus strand.
I don't particularly care. I'm just trying to do a non-Schengen connection in CDG, which third country nationals were always permitted to do. As long as the flights are flying (and passengers are allowed on board), stuff like this can resume, although this does open up a loophole for British citizens to access a lot of other countries in the world.