EU seeks to unlock its borders for summer travel

The European Union pushed for a safe reopening of borders on Wednesday, while insisting on protective measures such as masks on planes, to try and salvage the ravaged tourism sector for the lucrative summer season as coronavirus cases recede.

Museums, beaches and plazas have been empty under an almost continent-wide travel halt from mid-March. Though wary of new waves of COVID-19, the EU executive wants to revive what it can of travel for the June-August season normally worth 150 billion euros (US$162.59 billion).

Its proposals are non-binding, and most European governments were pressing ahead with their own specific plans, at different speeds, depending on national circumstances.

To try to rein in the chaos, the European Commission on Wednesday urged a return to “unrestricted free movement” — if the health situation allows.

“Domestic and intra-EU tourism will prevail in the short-term,” the Commission said, as travel from outside the bloc for non-essential trips is likely to remain disrupted for longer.

Airlines and airports must insist passengers wear masks, limit contamination risks and reorganize check-ins, drop-offs and luggage pickups to avoid crowds, the EU proposals said. They said there was no need to leave the middle seat empty on planes. Social distancing will be necessary on cruise ships, trains and public transport.

The executive also wants vouchers for canceled flights or holidays to be valid for at least a year, with protection against bankruptcies, so people will accept them instead of demanding refunds from cash-strapped airlines and travel firms.

Already, the three Baltic states have decided to reopen borders to each others’ citizens from tomorrow, creating a “travel bubble” within the EU.

Austria and Germany also plan to fully reopen their border on June 15. That will particularly help Austria’s tourism industry, which contributes about 8 percent of economic output and relies heavily on German visitors to the Alps.

Austria and Germany introduced lockdowns early in their outbreaks and have fared relatively well, with lower death rates than many European peers. Both have been loosening their lockdowns, letting shops and other gathering places reopen.

Vienna is also working on staggered reopenings with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and some eastern European countries.

Elsewhere, there is still great caution. Tourism-dependent Spain and others are moving toward imposing a two-week quarantine period for travelers arriving from abroad, even as they ease strict lockdowns.

Within the Schengen area, where borders are normally invisible between 26 EU and other European countries, at least 17 nations have emergency border controls.

Europe’s travel sector contributes almost one tenth of economic output. The Commission estimates some 6.4 million jobs — more than half of the tourism workforce — could be lost.