EC issues guidelines to gradually lift travel restrictions

The European Commission on Wednesday issued a recommendation to gradually lift travel restrictions between EU countries  or areas with similar epidemiological situations in an effort to salvage what can be salvaged of this year's tourism season.

"Free movement and cross-border travel are key to tourism. As Member States manage to reduce the circulation of the virus, blanket restrictions to free movement should be replaced by more targeted measures. If a generalised lifting of restrictions is not justified by the health situation, the Commission proposes a phased and coordinated approach that starts by lifting restrictions between areas or Member States with sufficiently similar epidemiological situations," the EC said in a press release.

The EC has released guidelines and recommendations that are not binding on member states but that can help in coordinating the gradual lifting of travel restrictions and allow tourism businesses to reopen after months of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The EC's tourism and transport package, released on Wednesday, includes: an overall strategy towards recovery in 2020 and beyond; a common approach to restoring free movement and lifting restrictions at EU internal borders in a gradual and coordinated way; a framework to support the gradual re-establishment of transport whilst ensuring the safety of passengers and personnel; a recommendation which aims to make travel vouchers an attractive alternative to cash reimbursement for consumers; and criteria for restoring tourism activities safely and gradually and for developing health protocols for hospitality establishments such as hotels.

The EC underscores that the approach must also be flexible including the possibility to reintroduce certain measures if the epidemiological situation requires.

The EC says that member states should act on the basis of the following three criteria: epidemiological, notably focusing on areas where the situation is improving, based on guidance by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and using the regional map developed by the ECDC; the ability to apply containment measures throughout the whole journey including at border crossings, including additional safeguards and measures where physical distancing may be difficult to ensure; and economic and social considerations, initially prioritising cross-border movement in key areas of activity and including personal reasons.

The EC recommendation aims to ensure that vouchers become a viable and more attractive alternative to reimbursement for cancelled trips in the context of the current pandemic and that they be issued with a minimum validity period of 12 months. (Hina)

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