The European Union announces plans to ease a ban on nonessential travel to the continent, with foreign students, non-EU nationals who normally live in Europe and certain highly skilled workers likely to be exempt from the coronavirus restrictions from July 1.
After the virus began spreading throughout Europe in March, the EU gradually extended a ban on all nonessential travel into the 27 member countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland until June 15.
With borders inside Europe’s ID check-free travel area likely to be fully functional again by the end of June, the EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, is recommending that outside borders be opened to give a much-needed boost to virus-ravaged economies and in particular the tourism sector.
Slovak police officers check the papers of travelers crossing the Bratislava-Berg border crossing between Austria and Slovakia during the coronavirus pandemic on June 4, 2020 (JOE KLAMAR / AFP)
“While we will all have to remain careful, the time has come to make concrete preparations for lifting restrictions with countries whose health situation is similar to the EU’s and for resuming visa operations,” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said.
— AP
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
