EU could soon welcome Covid-vaccinated tourists

PanARMENIAN.Net - A yearlong ban on all but the most essential travel from the United States, an presumably other countries, to the European Union may be lifted soon, just in time for summer vacation.

In an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, April 25, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said she would put forward a policy proposal for the union’s 27 member states to accept visitors who have received E.U.-approved vaccines, paving the way for a reopening of travel.

“The Americans, as far as I can see, use European Medicines Agency-approved vaccines,” von der Leyen said. “This will enable free movement and the travel to the European Union.”

While von der Leyen’s comments signaled a major shift from the current policy, the details of exactly how and when the restart of travel would begin are still being worked out.

Countries like Spain, Italy, Portugal and Croatia, where tourism is the lifeblood of the economy are likely to jump at the opportunity to reopen. Greece has already made such a move, declaring it would begin welcoming tourists from a host of countries with a negative coronavirus test or a vaccination certificate, starting Monday.