Travel within Europe has not been easy throughout the coronavirus pandemic. But the time for all different confusing rules and regulations for travel within Europe should come to an end soon. This week EU countries approved a series of guidelines aimed at facilitating a more unified approach to travel within Europe during the pandemic. The European Commission established a set of criteria that countries should follow to determine how and whether to restrict arrivals. They include:
1. Coronavirus cases—Member states should not restrict travel from other countries with fewer than 50 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over the last 14 days.
2. Test positivity rates—Member states should not restrict travel from other countries with a COVID-19 test positivity rate of less than 3 percent provided that the weekly testing rate exceeds 250 tests per 100,000 people.
3. Reporting—Member states should supply the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) with their coronavirus case and testing data on a weekly basis to create a common database.
The ECDC will then produce a color-coded map that will allow for more informed and consistent decisions about travel restrictions across Europe.
A color-coded map of Europe with COVID-19 travel data will indicate:
1. Green — if the new case rate is less than 25 per 100,000 and the test positivity rate is less than 3 percent
2. Orange — if the new case rate is less than 50 per 100,000 but the test positivity rate is 3 percent or greater, or if the new case rate ranges from 25 to 150 per 100,000 but the test positivity rate is less than 3 percent
3. Red — if the new case rate is 50 or more per 100,000 and the test positivity rate is 3 percent or more
4. Grey — if there is not sufficient data or testing available
The ECDC will publish an updated version of the map each week. Countries will then be able to implement either a quarantine or a mandatory COVID-19 test for travellers coming from countries coded as red or grey.
This is not a binding agreement, independent countries can continue to implement either quarantine, testing measures or even outright bans as they see fit. The hope, however, is that some greater uniformity will emerge.
The European Commission’s general and much more sensible approach is pushing for testing over quarantines as a coronavirus control method. The Commission confirmed that member countries had agreed to recognize the use of tests and will continue to work together to create a standard for testing and quarantine requirements.
Until European countries unilaterally implement the new measures, the existing situation for intra-European travel is more than confusing. The rules and regulations have been different form country to country within Europe. It remains vital that travellers crossing borders within Europe are up to date with the individual country’s latest coronavirus-related travel restrictions because they are constantly changing.
It is not yet clear exactly when the new system will go into effect.
Sven Franssen