The E.U. Travel Ban Explained
And why it might be over before it starts
When Italy became the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in March, neighboring countries began closing borders and acting unilaterally for the first time in decades. But since the first European countries started emerging from lockdown in mid-May, the European Commission has been eager to apply uniform guidelines as to how the bloc will operate.
Brussels took the first step in getting Member States back into alignment on June 11, when it published guidelines for re-opening the continent. But those criteria were set to expire on June 30. Now, we know what’s next.
After diplomats allegedly leaked documents to The New York Times this week hinting that citizens from 54 countries would be banned from entering Europe, officials confirmed suspicions today.
Beginning July 1, the E.U.’s 27 member states plus Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein will restrict travelers from countries with COVID-19 infection rates above the E.U. average of 6 cases per 100,000 people.
None of this should come as a surprise. The June 11 memo issued the same objective criteria for re-opening. Within days, countries such as Slovenia, Cyprus, Montenegro, and Croatia had already opened to tourists from low-risk countries that had successfully…
