EU Launches “Reopen-EU” Website For Intra-Block Travel Information

Many European Union and Schengen-member countries started to close their borders in March even for intra-block travel when Covid-19 was rapidly spreading around Europe and overwhelming the healthcare sector in most hard-hit areas in Italy.

Now, once the first peak of the Covid-19 appears to have passed, EU commission has signaled to member countries that they would like to see the internal borders restrictions withdrawn by the end of June, and possibly travel to the block from other countries allowed in stages starting in July.

You can access the Reopen-EU website here.

You can choose a country or click on the map, and you are then presented what restrictions the country may have in place for intra-EU or Schengen travel.

Keep in mind that there are European Union member countries that are not part of Schengen (eventually they should all join) and Schengen participating countries (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) that are not EU members.

There are several countries such as France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium and Spain (from this Sunday) that are open for all arrivals from the European Union and Schengen.

Then there are the Nordic countries, Sweden is an exception, of Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Denmark that continue to have severe restrictions in place.

Conclusion

The intra-EU and Schengen travel has been an utter mess, and for a reason, since March. There are still obstacles until we have returned to wholly seamless and borderless Schengen that allows citizens to work and live in any of the member countries (our right as EU member state citizens).

Many border areas have grown together. You may live in one country and work in another. You may cross the invisible border several times a day.

I am still worried that people may believe that the Covid-19 pandemic is now past us, but it may well come roaring back in the fall like most of the similar viruses have in the past. I just hope that the EU and Schengen could make a better and more coordinated decision when it comes to travel and free movement restrictions in the future.