COVID-19 crisis: MEPs discuss plans to safely resume travel and reboot tourism

The European Commission will present the package of guidelines and recommendations adopted on 13 May to help gradually lift travel restrictions across Europe and allow tourism businesses to reopen after months of lockdown.

When: Thursday, 28 May 2020, 10.00 – 12.00 CEST

Where: European Parliament, Antall building, room 4Q1, Brussels

The meeting will be livestreamed here (Parliament’s Multimedia Centre).

Members of the Committee on Transport and Tourism will be able to participate remotely. Committee Chair Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, FR), as well as a few other MEPs, will be present in the meeting room.

Background

Timeline:

• 24 March 2020: Members of the Tourism Task Force of the Transport and Tourism Committee call on the Commission to present a tourism rescue action plan, which ensures timely national and European assistance for the travel and tourism sector, including via national compensation schemes and financial aid instruments, and establishes a crisis-management mechanism for the sector.

• 17 April 2020: The European Parliament notes in its resolution on EU coordinated action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences that the transport and tourism sectors have been severely affected and suggests that a prevention and management mechanism be developed for the tourism sector at EU level to protect the workers, help the businesses and ensure passenger safety.

• 21 April 2020: The Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee reiterates, in a debate with Commissioner Thierry Breton, that the tourism sector needs more support in the ongoing COVID-19 crisis through specific measures, funding, increased EU-level coordination and a targeted roadmap.

• 13 May 2020: The European Commission presents its tourism and transport package.

• 20 May 2020: EU ministers responsible for tourism support coordinated efforts to help the sector to recover.

The Commission’s package includes:

• An overall strategy towards recovery

• A common approach to restoring free movement and lifting restrictions at EU internal borders in a gradual and coordinated way

• Guidelines to support the gradual restoration of transport services whilst ensuring the safety of passengers and personnel

• A recommendation on travel vouchers

• EU guidance for restoring tourism activities safely

Information to the media

Journalists are advised not to attend in person unless absolutely necessary. If you do, you are requested to respect the recommended guidelines on social distancing and hygiene.