June 3: Italy Reopens for Tourists From EU
After three months of total lockdown and no tourists in sight, Italy has finally opened its borders to tourists from the Schengen Area and the European Union Member States, just as previously announced.
Despite criticism that opening to tourists was ‘premature’ for Italy, mainly due to its current rate of infections, the government has moved on inviting Europeans to visit Italy without fearing the virus.
Commenting on the reaction of the rest of the Member States towards Italy’s reopening, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio condemned the countries criticizing such a step.
“We do not want to raise controversy, but if someone thinks of closing the door on us only for their own interests, then we will respond. We will also close the door before personalism. But there is a constructive dialogue on the part of many states,” he said, noting that Italy believes in collaboration but also in reciprocity.
In an interview of the Minister published by the Ministry, Di Maio asserts that Italy has distinguished itself for transparency and that the current data are comforting.
He, however, declined to comment Greece’s move to impose quarantine on four Italian regions, noting he would be in Athens on June 9 to show the real situation in all regions.
According to a notice on the phase of easing restrictions, published by the official website of the Italian government, from June 3, travel will be freely allowed for any reason to and from the following States:
- Member States of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Hungary)
- non-EU States part of the Schengen Agreement (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Andorra
- Monaco
- Republic of San Marino
- Vatican City State
According to the notice, from June 3, people entering or returning to Italy from these countries will no longer be subject to sanitary surveillance and fiduciary isolation for 14 days, unless they have stayed in different countries in the 14 days prior to entry into Italy.
“For example, a person who enters Italy from France on June 14 will be subject to fiduciary isolation if he entered France from the United States on June 4, but will not be subject to isolation if the move from the United States to France occurred within on May 30 or if between May 31 and June 13 he stayed in Germany,” the notice explains.
So far, the number of infections in Italy is 208,543, with 33,530 total deaths. The effect of COVID-19 on the tourism sector Italy, which amounts to some 13% of GDP, has had a devastating impact.
