The European Commission on Friday called on Schengen member states and allied states to extend the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU for another 30 days, until June 15.
Initially, unnecessary travel to the EU was banned until May 15. However, the European Commission decided to extend the restriction due to the unpredictability of the spread of COVID-19.
Despite the fact that some EU states are beginning to ease measures against the pandemic, EU officials decided that the situation in Europe and globally remains fragile. Therefore the preventive measures on the EU external borders will continue to apply to reduce the risk of the disease spreading through EU travel, the European Commission said in a statement.
As outlined in the common European roadmap for lifting the measures to curb the disease, internal EU border controls should be phased out in a coordinated manner before it is possible to ease external border restrictions.
“Despite the progress made in many European countries, the situation at the international level remains very fragile. It is imperative that every action taken must be taken gradually and measures must be lifted gradually,” said Margaritis Schoinas, Commissioner for Promoting the European Way of Life.
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