If you plan to travel this summer to or within the borders of the European Union or the Schengen Space, start right here with some information to make your travel easier.
Plan your travel within Europe via Re-open EU
To configure your route through Europe, use Re-open EU the online platform or the mobile app, available in 24 languages and launched by the European Commission in 2020, with the aim to be a one stop shop for safe travel within Europe.
Here you will find epidemiological data, national coronavirus safety and travel measures such as quarantine and testing requirements for all European countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Go on the website or the app, click the tabs “Measures in Place” or “Travel Plan” and find out the most recent news from an official source!
EU Digital COVID Certificate available from July 1st
The EU Digital COVID Certificate will become available in all member states by July 1st, 2021 and will be a digital proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a test or recovered from COVID-19. Free of charge and optional, valid in all EU and Schengen zone countries, it will be available also in paper based format, depending on the choice of the recipients, and it will contain a digitally signed QR code.
EU Digital COVID Certificate may be opened for non-EU international travellers subject to individual member states, meaning that you might be able to ask the local authorities of a member state to give you the certificate based on a proof of vaccination or COVID-19 test.
The EU Digital COVID Certificate aims to facilitate free movement inside the EU. It will not be a pre-condition to free movement, which is a fundamental right in the EU. It will contain necessary key information such as name, date of birth, date of issuance, relevant information about vaccine/ test/recovery and a unique identifier. This data will remain on the certificate and will not be stored or retained when a certificate is verified in another Member State, the health data remaining with the Member State that issued an EU Digital COVID Certificate.
Lifting of travel restrictions from third countries to EU starting June 3rd
The Council of the EU has made a recommendation that starting June 3rd, 2021 member states gradual lift restrictions for non-essential travel into the EU. Travel restrictions can be lifted for residents of the following third countries: Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, China, (subject to confirmation of reciprocity), and for the special administrative regions of China Hong Kong and Macao, subject to confirmation of reciprocity. In this particular context, residents of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican are considered EU residents.
International travel to France, Italy and Switzerland
If you are an international traveler and plan to visit France, Italy or Switzerland during the summer of 2021 it is good to know that there exist classifications of countries based on health indicators and that different travel documentation is required depending how you plan to enter these territories: via land, air or water.
For example, France has classified countries using a three colour code (green, orange, red), Italy has a list system (A,B,C,D,E) and Switzerland has a list of high risk countries and areas of neighbouring countries from where entry is subjected to quarantine. Depending on the type of travel to these countries, you might have to fill out an entry form, show proof of a negative test and/or go into quarantine.
In order to best plan your summer holiday in Europe and your mountain adventures, check out the latest updates, on official websites:
Travelling to France: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/
Travelling to Italy: https://www.salute.gov.it/
Travelling to Switzerland: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/