More than a month has passed since the European Commission’s presented its proposal for EU-wide coordination of travel restrictions. However, this proposal has still not been implemented by the Council. At the moment the situation is very confusing for travellers, as each member state can decide what colour to assign different travel zones in other countries. This causes changing travel restrictions and quarantine rules which are difficult to stay up to date with.
1. The proposal
The Commission’s proposal detailed a way to streamline the varying restrictions in each of the EU member states, many of which are now entering a second wave of the coronavirus. It proposed a coordinated EU approach to travel restrictions within the EU, asking member states to adopt the following:
2. Continued delays by the Council
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders had hoped that the proposal would have been adopted by the General Affairs Council meeting which took place on 22 September, however he feared then that it would take longer, and he has indeed been proven right. At the press conference following the European Council meeting last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the issue briefly and urged that member states adopt the Commission’s proposal.
Chief spokesperson of the Commission has clarified that it is urging the Council, in its on-going work on the file, to take a decision as soon as possible. The Commission’s position is clear – it is urgent to reach agreement on the proposal. According to the Commission, the proposal has already been discussed in various forums and has been welcomed by the member states, therefore it seems unclear as to why there is a delay.
