EU can safely save summer season in Europe

While economic activity across Europe is starting slowly, the most draconian measures, the closing of national borders, are still in place.

These measures were deemed necessary at the start of the epidemic in Europe to slow down the emergency and stop cross-border contagion.

Now they become disproportionate in the light of the lighter internal measures. Countries have succeeded in reducing the epidemic curve; New cases can be recognized and isolated much faster than at the onset of the crisis, and more testing and localization capabilities are available.

This is why the Schengen area must be restored as soon as possible as a matter of urgency.

Instead, we are now listening to talks on bilateral agreements between EU countries to organize travel between them this summer.

It would be a huge mistake.

It would create first and second class citizens, those who are allowed to travel and those who are not. This would constitute an unacceptable violation of the fundamental right to freedom of movement in the EU, as well as discrimination based on nationality.

If a country opens tourism to its own nationals, it should be open to all EU countries.

European economies are on the verge of facing one of the biggest economic shocks ever recorded. We must do everything we can to protect the jobs and incomes of people where we can.

This is particularly urgent for the travel and tourism sector, which accounts for around 10% of European GDP and employs almost 23 million people, many of whom work in family businesses and small businesses in the countries or regions they count. a lot about foreign visitors.

The European Union must do everything possible to protect them by urgently presenting a comprehensive continental strategy for a safe exit for the tourism sector and by recovering the rest of the holiday season.

The coronavirus poses the same challenges to all of us, so Europe must respond with one voice.

Among other things, this strategy should include common protocols for air, sea and train travel, and European rules for car travel.

We will need a common sanitary and sanitary standard for hotels, restaurants and museums and their staff to ensure that the local tourism infrastructure is COVID-proof.

In addition, if you wish to travel abroad, you must have health insurance.

And the tracking applications under development must be interoperable. The key question we face now is how far we can discipline and regulate our movements to allow maximum freedom, with the least possible risk of spreading the virus.

At the same time, it is clear that traveling to Europe and Europe this summer will be far below the expectations of many hotels and restaurants.

Solidarity liquidity

Even if we deliver the tourism industry successfully and responsibly to Europe, many businesses will face difficulties and even bankruptcies.

Therefore, we ask that small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism sector are eligible to receive liquidity support from the EU budget. Countries that are more dependent on tourism than others should receive more support. This is how solidarity works in Europe.

The actions of the European Union in the days and weeks to come will be decisive for the livelihoods of millions of people.

We believe that the European Commission must act urgently and decisively to protect our health, but also restore our fundamental freedoms as soon as possible and show our solidarity with the millions of people who work and depend on tourism for their income and their well- be.