Can we spend our holidays abroad this summer?

The massive tourism recovery plan presented Thursday by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was eagerly awaited. By professionals in the sector, strongly impacted by the containment put in place to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, it goes without saying. But also by many readers of 20 Minutes , who wonder when and under what conditions they will be able to travel this summer, more precisely outside of France:

“I made reservations to fly to Montenegro from August 19 to September 4. Will I be able to leave normally? Will there be a confinement period upon return to France? »Verley

"I'm from Marseille and my boyfriend from Turin. Do you think I will be able to see it again on June 15 (the date scheduled for the reopening of the borders)? »Erika

“My husband lives in Senegal. I haven't seen him since January: I had to go see him in April, but my trip was canceled because of the Covid-19! When can I finally go see him? »Linda

"Will it be possible to go on vacation to Portugal this summer? »Vanessa

Here are the answers we found:

Favor France. " Are you coming for vacation ? »Yes, but on condition that it is in France. On Thursday, the head of government assured that "the French will be able to go on vacation in mainland France and overseas in July and August". Subject, however, to "possible very localized restrictions" due to the evolution of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Fear of a second wave. Since the containment was lifted on Monday, May 11, numerous gatherings during which barrier gestures were not respected have been noted, raising the fear of a second wave for some city officials. Wednesday on France Info, the centrist mayor of Deauville, Philippe Augier, explained that "the reopening of the beaches" could give rise to "a dangerous mixing to again fuel a second wave of contamination". The appearance of a cluster in Calvados could actually tip the department, currently in green on the deconfinement map, in red.

Edouard Philippe's announcements on Thursday, however, call for caution regarding the reservations you would like to make now to go here to the mountains, there to the sea. Because, even if the Prime Minister encouraged the French to to do so, stressing that the players in the sector are committed "to ensuring that they are fully reimbursed in the event that the evolution of the epidemic would not make it possible to go on vacation", uncertainties remain: when will be lifted travel restriction over 100 km? Will holiday establishments (hotels, lodges, campsites, etc.) accept tourists during the state of health emergency, which, as a reminder, has been extended until July 24?

On trips within Europe, we proceed gradually, step by step, because we must at all costs avoid a second wave of the virus. #RTLSoir @RTLFrance pic.twitter.com/GY48Ejsl7S

Europe, not for now. The same caution should be observed, if not intensified, with regard to your escapades abroad, if only in Europe. "I fear that it is not reasonable to imagine traveling far abroad very quickly," said Edouard Philippe during a press conference on Sunday. Especially since it is "not sure that air transport will be able to resume in good conditions quickly". Same story from the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Amélie de Montchalin, Thursday on RTL: "I advise to wait, because I do not have at this stage enough visibility on the health situation and on what we can do (…) in one, two or three months (…). You can't put the cart before the horse. We really have to make sure that we don't have a second wave to be able to have this kind of thinking. "

Article 23 of the Schengen Borders Code provides that States may reinstate border controls "in the event of a serious threat to public order or internal security for renewable periods of thirty days for a maximum duration of 24 months", recalls the All Europe site. Thus, with the pandemic, the EU has decided to close its borders until May 15, and then until June 15 at least. And, for the time being, only cross-border workers, people with a family motive - to go to see a child in a specialized institution, visit a parent in a nursing home - or those returning to their home can circulate between France and 'other EU countries.

We are looking to give people the ability, confidence and safety to travel again.

We help EU countries to lift travel restrictions and allow tourism to restart, but we need rigorous health precautions to prevent further outbreaks. #EUtourism

More → https://t.co/7OeAsNTaXI pic.twitter.com/JuXffx6LPy

Conditions to be determined. Tourism is crucial for the economy of the Union, since it represents 10% of its GDP and 12% of jobs. "We will have a tourist season this summer, even if it will be with security measures and restrictions that did not exist last year," European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Italian Paolo Gentiloni, promised on Wednesday. The EU executive advocates reopening the EU's internal borders in a "concerted", "as harmonious as possible" and "non-discriminatory" manner. However, these are simple recommendations, since it is up to the Member States to decide how they want to protect their territory.

On Tuesday, Madrid, for example, announced that it would strictly limit entry to its territory and impose a quarantine in order to avoid the importation of new cases of coronavirus. And Paris intends to do the same, by reciprocity, said Thursday the Elysee. As for Portugal, another destination highly prized by the French, the question of reopening its borders with Spain, closed at least until May 15, has not yet been decided.

Our file on deconfinement

A future website. Note that the European executive would like to set up a website by summer with real-time information on the situation at the borders, but also in each of the tourist regions.

So that you can see more clearly, 20 Minutes is  trying to answer your questions, which you can send us by following the procedure below. Questions which should, we will be grateful, relate to another subject than that approached in the article above. Do not hesitate to check that your question has not already been answered on our site. To find out, go to the search bar at the top of our home page. In any case, don't forget to leave your e-mail in your message. Thank you in advance (and take care of yourself)!

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• Society
• Deconfinement
• Covid 19
• Coronavirus
• Trip
• Summer holidays
• Tourism