The E.U. Proposal to Allow Tourists to Visit Europe Again

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel from the U.S. to Europe was suspended. This suspension has been in place for over a year now, but on May 3 The European Union announced a proposal to allow tourists to begin travelling again this summer.

“The proposal, which could be in place by the end of June, will give hope to travelers from the United States and other countries with aggressive coronavirus vaccination programs who are eager to return to some of the globe’s most popular destinations.” according to The Washington Post.

Europe’s plan would allow for fully vaccinated individuals and their children to visit, despite the COVID-19 outbreak levels in the given countries. The use of Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson have all been approved by the E.U, but proof of vaccination must be obtained, which can be in the form of a vaccine certificate.

“Technical discussions have been going on for several weeks between European Union and United States officials on how to practically and technologically make vaccine certificates from each place broadly readable so that citizens can use them to travel without restrictions.” as said by The New York Times.

The proposal does contain an emergency brake that would allow for “member states to limit travel quickly in response to new variants or a deteriorating health situation in non-EU countries. “ according to BBC. It would also be reviewed every two weeks.

Certain details were not discussed though, such as what travellers will be allowed to do once they’ve reached their destination, but a few European countries have already begun the use of vaccine passports. These passports allow for access to shops, concerts, and more.

Overall, The European Union’s plan to grant permission for Americans to visit this summer will create a sense of normalcy during this time and set a precedent for traveling outside of the country amidst a pandemic.

“The plans will be discussed by the ambassadors of European countries on May 5, and once signed off the list of safe countries will be reviewed every two weeks. Decisions about borders can only be made by individual countries, so each member state will decide whether to implement these proposals or not.” as said by CNN.