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NET calls on Members States to avoid quarantine measures at national level and make information on travel and tourism services available

Friday, 15 May 2020
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NET calls on Member States to avoid quarantine measures at national level and make information on travel and tourism services available

Brussels: The Network for the European Private Sector in Tourism (NET) calls on Member States to follow the coordinated approach proposed by the European Commission to restore freedom of movement. NET, however, believes that this renders quarantine measures at national level redundant. NET also calls on Member States to provide information to the Commission for a website collecting and mapping practical travel and tourism information to allow better planning, to be launched immediately.   

NET  welcomes the criteria proposed by the  European   Commission in its   Communication on transport and tourism to reintroduce freedom of movement across the  EU  and to lift internal border controls.  Epidemiological  (focusing on areas where the public health control of the virus is comparable),  ability to apply containment measures and economic and social considerations are advisable criteria in place at national level.

NET fully supports that these criteria are based on the principle of non-discrimination, so that when Member States decide to welcome visitors into their territory, they allow travel from all areas, regions or countries in the EU with a similar epidemiological condition. While restrictions should be lifted regardless of nationality, companies will follow all needed health and safety protocols to help rebuild public trust.

NET is convinced that if Member States follow these guidelines, intra-European quarantine requirements for travellers can be avoided. Furthermore, NET believes that the perceived risk of quarantine will strongly dampen demand for intra-European travel, discouraging many from making a trip and effectively undermining the opening of the borders. In any case, should a traveller be quarantined, there should be an option for repatriation.

NET welcomes the Commission’s intention to launch a website mapping information from Member States and the travel industry, which includes detailed and up-to-date information on the situation of the borders of all EU countries (air, land, border), travel restrictions, public health and safety measures, areas to go to in case of health issues and available tourism services across the EU. This will facilitate business planning as well as travel planning of prospective visitors. With the holiday season about to start in four weeks in some Member States, this website must be operative as soon as possible, even if with – initially – limited content.

1 - According to a survey carried out by IATA in April 2020, 69% of recent travellers would not consider travelling if it involved a 14-day quarantine period.

 

For further information: www.net-tourism.eu

Press Contact:              Marta Machado, +32(0)2 513 63 23, [email protected]

NET is a network of representative trade associations from the private sector in European tourism. NET’s purpose is to develop common goals for industry and work with policy-makers and other partners to achieve them. Tourism is central to Europe’s economic prospects. It contributes more than 10% of EU GDP and provides about 12 million jobs, largely in small and medium sized enterprises. Between them, they make up the third largest socio-economic activity in the EU.