(13 May 2020) – Today, the Commission presents a package of guidelines and recommendations to help Member States gradually lift travel restrictions and allow tourism businesses to reopen safely after months of lockdown.
As soon as the health situation allows, people should be able to catch up with friends and family, in their own EU country or across borders, with all the safety and precautionary measures needed in place. The Commission’s Tourism and Transport package includes:
– a strategy towards recovery in 2020 and beyond;
– a common approach to restoring free movement and lifting restrictions at EU internal borders;
– a framework to support the gradual re-establishment of transport while ensuring the safety of passengers and personnel;
– a recommendation aiming to make travel vouchers an attractive alternative to cash reimbursement for consumers;
– and finally criteria for restoring tourism activities safely and gradually and for developing health protocols for hotels and restaurants.