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“The challenges of the crown are the same for all of us, so Europe must respond with one voice,” said M. Weber.
Restoring the free movement of people in Europe and opening internal borders is vital to saving the summer of 2020. Tens of millions of jobs and family livelihoods are at risk, as the crown threatens to fatally hit its sector. tourism.
While economic activity across Europe is gradually returning, the most draconian measures, the closure of national borders, are still in place. These measures were considered necessary at the start of the pandemic in Europe to reduce cross-border transmission of the virus from one country to another. However, it is now disproportionate, in light of the national measures being implemented. Countries have managed to control the pandemic; New cases can be identified and isolated much faster than at the beginning of the crisis. That is why the Schengen area urgently needs to be restored.
Instead, we are now hearing about talks on bilateral agreements between EU countries. to organize trips between them this summer. That would be a big mistake. It would create first and second class citizens, those who are allowed to travel and those who are not allowed. It would be an unacceptable violation of the fundamental right to free movement in the EU. If a country opens tourism to its citizens, it should be open to all EU countries.
Economies in Europe will face one of the biggest economic shocks. We must do what we can and where we can to guarantee people’s work and income. This is particularly urgent for the travel and tourism sector, which produces around 10% of Europe’s GDP and employs almost 23 million people, many of whom work in families and small businesses in highly dependent countries or regions. by foreign visitors. The European Union must do everything possible to protect them, urgently presenting a comprehensive exit strategy for the tourism sector and rescuing what remains of the holiday season …
The challenges of the crown are the same for all of us, so Europe must respond with one voice. Among other things, such a strategy should include common protocols for air, sea and rail travel, as well as pan-European rules for car travel. We will need a common health and hygiene standard for hotels, restaurants and museums and their staff, to ensure that the local tourism infrastructure is COVID proof. Also, if you want to travel abroad, you must have health insurance. The key question now is how well we can discipline and regulate our movements to allow the greatest possible freedom, with the least possible risk of the virus spreading.
At the same time, it is clear that traveling to and from Europe this summer will be much less than many hotels and restaurants expected. Even if we can successfully and responsibly restart the tourism industry in Europe, many companies will face difficulties and even bankruptcies. Therefore, we urge small and medium-sized companies in the tourism sector to be eligible for 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 coming days and weeks will be crucial for the livelihood of millions of people. We believe that the European Commission must act urgently and decisively to restore our fundamental freedoms and show our solidarity with the millions of people who work and depend on tourism for their income and prosperity.
.* Mr Manfred Weber is head of the parliamentary group of the European People’s Party (PPE) in the European Parliament.
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