CEOE urges the Council of the European Union to approve, on September 22, and urgently implement, the proposal for a Council Recommendation to guarantee that all measures adopted by the member states that restrict free movement, due to the pandemic of Coronavirus, coordinate and communicate clearly in the European Union. This recommendation highlights two key issues for CEOE. On the one hand, the harmonization of the criteria on travel restrictions in the Member States.
This will ensure a more coordinated, predictable and transparent approach to adopting restrictions on freedom of movement in the interests of everyone, from passengers to industry to national economies. On the other hand, the recommendation proposes to address a coordinated strategy across the EU that gives preference, whenever possible, to the alternative of undergoing tests for COVID-19 infection instead of quarantine. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has led to a significant reduction in mobility and has led to an interruption in tourist flows and a decrease in demand globally.
This new situation is seriously endangering the viability and survival of thousands of companies throughout the European Union. In order to manage the risk of infection linked to passenger mobility, the authorities of the countries have adopted restrictive measures, but they have done so in a heterogeneous and unilateral way. From CEOE, we urge that the Council of the European Union approve the recommendation on the 22nd and also adopt a coordinated approach to lift travel restrictions to third countries.
