The European Union to Soon Announce Detailed Plans to Open Up International Travel

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The changing landscape of international travel has long been marked by the possibility of introducing Covid-19 vaccine passports. The latest addition to the list of announcements on the issue comes from the European Union. The EU has announced that it will soon reveal its international travel plans for all member states.

A Coordinated Approach

Following a statement this week proposing the introduction of vaccine passports, as well as a coordinated plan to lift restrictions, the EU is set to next week announce further plans to help re-open international travel. According to reports, EU is set to call for a ‘common approach’ to gradually ease travel restrictions in all its member states. This will be done methodically to ensure that all efforts are diligently coordinated when the ‘epidemiological situation’ is under control. In other words, the easing of travel restrictions will be determined by the total case load and number of active cases in the near future. The European Tourism Manifesto alliance, which represents more than 60 travel organizations, urged the EU to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies on international travel to ideate the most prudent strategy feasible.

A Nod of Approval from the Aviation Sector

The EU has also proposed the introduction of digital certificates that will show whether a person has been vaccinated, recovered from the illness or recently tested negative. The passes are meant to allow international travel. This decision has been backed by major aviation groups. They suggested that the vaccine passports will help revive international travel and provide a much needed respite to the industry. One of the spokesperson from a leading airline service asserted the reaction of the airline to the proposed plan by EU. She stated, ‘Given the continued progress of the vaccine roll-out we must ensure there is a risk-based and data-driven approach to removing restrictions, with the objective of returning to unrestricted travel where it is possible and safe to do so.’ The desire for reopening of the travel industry has been fervent for quite some time. The decision of the EU to implement new protocols that will facilitate travel will no doubt be a welcomed measure for the travel and aviation industry.