After weeks of speculation, on the reopening or not of Europe’s borders to tourists on June 15, there is both good and bad news. First that the EU’s external borders will stay closed beyond the current June 15 end date. But from July, Europe is set to open to the world again.
The Europe travel ban, in place since March 17, will now be extended another two weeks. This rules out non-essential travel by foreign nationals into much of the EU for another fortnight at least from mid June.
If that is members enforce that decision. The ban applies to 30 countries: 26 who belong to the EU, plus four Schengen members: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. European governments do not have to fall in line with the recommendation. On the past two occasions that the ban was renewed for 30 days, in April and May, all did.
The EU’s home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, told journalists on Friday that the decision to renew the travel ban was pretty much unanimous. “Almost all member states” supported the idea of a “further, much shorter prolongation.”
This suggests that some countries may go there own way and let foreign tourists in ahead of that date. Greece for a start says all travelers are welcome from June 15 –though Americans, Brits and many others face a 1-2 week quarantine. From July 1, a full tourism comeback begins in Greece, as do international flights.
From July, Europe Ready To Welcome Back The World
The good news is, that there is an end in sight to Europe’s travel ban. Johansson said the countries had agreed to a “gradual and strictly coordinated lifting” of the restrictions from July. That won’t necessarily happen in one fell swoop, but the green light for a restart to international tourism appears to be there. The decision came during a video conference involving the EU’s 27 home affairs ministers.
By the end of June, most internal border controls within the bloc will tumble Johansson said. That syncs in with EU plans to open up countries to summer tourism, starting with fellow Europeans. Many nations from Austria to Croatia are already lifting their land checks on neighbors.
The likelihood of Europe’s external borders staying shut longer was hinted at recently by the French minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian. This time the travel ban has only been extended for a fortnight rather than 30 days. That too is a positive sign of things winding down, as the Covid-19 crisis in Europe and elsewhere improves dramatically.
Despite the EU’s overtures of unity, Europe is reopening in a patchwork manner.
Any screening or other procedures travelers may face on arriving in Europe once the travel ban lifts, is likely to happen at a national level. In Greece for example there will only be spot tests, and no quarantine, from July 1. Several other countries too, including Spain and Portugal are preparing to welcome international tourists from July. Italy too seems to be edging that way.
British travelers are exempt from the EU travel ban, but face a two week quarantine in some countries such as France. (In a kind of tit for tat for the U.K. quarantine).
The curb on non-essential travel has blocked entry to much of the continent for three months. Fortress Europe has been off-limits to all tourists and most foreigners throughout these unprecedented times. Even citizens of the usually border-free Schengen zone have seen their travel freedoms whittled away. But now, as Europeans’ fundamental right to free movement slowly returns, there’s also light at the end of the tunnel for mid-summer travels in Europe for all.
All that remains to be seen now, is when Donald Trump will lift his travel restrictions on Europe arrivals as promised.