Europe Travel: EU Welcomes Tourists From July 1, What You Need To Know

Europe travels are on the cards–for all tourists, not just Europeans–as the EU ban draws to an end starting on July 1. For the first time in four months, international travelers will soon be able to holiday in Europe.

But as restrictions on non-essential travel to Europe eases, travelers from high-risk countries may not be welcome at the outset. The end of the travel ban will be “gradual and partial”, vice president of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, told journalists Wednesday. The move will take into account certain “criteria”, and “be based on a common, coordinated approach by member states,” he said.

His comments hint at travelers from low-risk countries getting the green light to Europe first. This will become clear later this week, when Brussels publishes a roadmap for the border reopening. This will unveil details of the plan, as to which travel restrictions on which countries end initially.

Restrictions On Travelers From Some Countries Likely Beyond July 1

Last week the French government proposed the July 1 reopening to Schengen members, but with curbs on travelers from some nations. The aim reported BFMTV is to avoid different opening dates for each country.

By blocking out high-risk travelers in the early days, this may help remove hesitation to an end to the Europe travel ban among some countries. That’s the case for instance with most of the Nordic countries who have shown little sign yet of allowing entry other than to neighbors. Bar Iceland, which reopens to all Europeans from June 15. It’s offering all travelers a coronavirus test, in order to avoid quarantine.

For French newspaper Le Parisien, the move to fully reopen Europe’s borders is “Proof that the Old Continent thinks that the threat of the Covid-19 is fading.” A fact illustrated by the latest data from the European Centre for Disease and Prevention Control.

Spaniard, Borrell, is also the senior representative to the EU on foreign affairs and security policy. His comments come after EU nations agreed to extend the current curbs on most foreign arrivals to Europe for another 15 days from June 15.

From July 1, the external border controls will start to vanish EU officials say. The idea is to give countries time to lift all the internal border controls first. Something they want to see happen by the end of June. Those land and air border controls in the usually passport free Schengen zone returned in response to Covid-19.

The renewed travel ban until the end of June is “to prepare for a gradual opening thereafter,” said Croatian Secretary of State For EU and International Affairs, Terezija Gras. “This reopening to travelers from countries outside the Schengen area and the EU must be done in a coordinated, proportionate and non-discriminatory manner.”

First Internal Border Controls Tumble, Then External Borders

Without a unilateral approach to the prising open of Europe’s external borders, confusion would reign. That’s somewhat the case with the patchwork manner the internal borders are currently reopening. To an extent this is inevitable given the different Covid situations in each country. Those differences are evening out in time, as the virus loses its hold across the continent.

The reopening of all the internal borders is seen as the first vital step in a tourism comeback for Europe. This will already allow European holidaymakers to start tripping later this month. The second is the lifting of EU external border controls and return of international tourists.

Here’s a snapshot of the timetable of some border reopenings:

• Austria has announced it is will reopen the land border with Italy on June 16. While ending quarantine requirements for more than 20 European countries on the same day. This is a hugely significant step in the tumbling of all border controls in Europe.
• Switzerland is maintaining its border controls with Italy while allowing entry of all travelers from EU and Schengen countries, and the U.K, from June 15.
• Germany is doing the same, though not excluding Italians.
• Greece for example has decided to let tourists from all nations enter from June 15, but some face quarantine until July 1 when those controls end.
• In France too all Europeans are welcome from June 15.
• In Belgium and Slovenia, some Europeans are being let in ahead of others.
• Hungary, one of the frontrunners, abolished all border controls on June 9.
• Italy has bee welcoming back Europeans since June 3.
• Spain is opening to foreigners in July.

So things are shaping up well for full freedom of movement to return to Europe by late June. Each internal border check that ends, paves the way for an international tourist comeback.

Something that is happening at a speed no one predicted a month ago. In April, France forecast EU borders to stay shut until September. Thankfully for travelers that is no longer the case.