September 9 - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the proposals from the European Commission (EC) to better coordinate and communicate on travel restrictions in the European Union (EU) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Key among the proposals are the following:

• Greater predictability with common criteria for introducing COVID-19 measures and advance notice of weekly changes • Common criteria for measures with a preference for testing over quarantine • Simplified communication of risk using a color-coded traffic light system

 

The EU is proposing to simplify infection rate calculations into four risk categories as follows:

• Green for an area where the total number of newly notified COVID-19 cases is less than 25 per 100,000 people during a 14-day period AND the percentage of positive tests from all COVID-19 tests is less than 3% • Orange for an area where the total number of newly notified COVID-19 cases is less than 50/100,000 during a 14-day period BUT the percentage of positive tests from all COVID-19 tests is 3% or more OR the total number of newly notified COVID-19 cases is between 25 and 150 BUT the percentage of positive tests from all COVID-19 tests is less than 3% • Red for an area where the total number of newly notified COVID-19 cases is more than 50/100,000 during a 14-day period AND the percentage of positive tests from all COVID-19 tests is 3% or more OR the total number of newly notified COVID-19 cases is more than 150 per 100 000 people during a 14-day period • Grey if there is insufficient information available to assess the criteria proposed by the Commission OR the number of COVID-19 tests carried out per 100 000 people is less than 250

 

Specifically, the EC is proposing that Member States should not restrict free movement of people traveling from another Member State that comply with specific criteria.

 

The EC further states that travelers arriving from ‘red’ or ‘grey’ states could be required to undergo a COVID-19 test after arrival or prior to departure, the Commission’s preferred option, with quarantine only imposed as a last resort.

 

A successful return of air travel across the EU would help economic recovery, but only a full opening up of international services will preserve the seven million jobs in aviation and the wider European economy which are at risk from the current collapse of air travel. Applying the same common criteria to countries outside the Schengen area would aid the process of re-opening intercontinental borders, and IATA calls on European states to implement this. For more information, please visit iata.org

 

 

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