During the presentation of the second phase of deconfinement, Thursday, May 28, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that France was "favorable" to the reopening of the internal borders of Europe from June 15, "without fortnight" for The travellers. Regarding the external borders, "the decision will be taken collectively with all European countries, by June 15," added the head of government.

The Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castaner, spoke of a possible reopening of the external borders "with a slight delay, perhaps on July 1", accompanied "by a European list of countries of attention which would be the subject of specific measures at the borders of the European area ".

These announcements are followed very closely by members of the diasporas living in France. Indeed, if from May 19, the Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, assured on Twitter that "the Portuguese diaspora in France 'could return this summer without quarantine measures'", the question arises today for the countries located outside European borders. Because if the Portuguese represent the first community of foreign origin in France, the country also has a strong diaspora of North African origin which is, at this stage of deconfinement, excluded from the measures taken concerning the reopening of the borders.

The epidemic situation of each country taken into account

"We have a few travel agencies in these countries," says Jean-François Rial, CEO of Voyageurs du monde, referring to destinations such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, but also Lebanon. "The decision concerning them will depend on their epidemic situation."

Questioned by France 24, Jean-François Rial believes in a complete reopening of the Schengen area on June 15, then a gradual reopening concerning certain countries outside the EU. "I think they will open in early July a number of countries that do not pose a health problem or have health situations very close to Europe where the epidemic is collapsing," he said.

According to him, the situation of foreign nationals living in France, and vice versa, could in all cases be subject to derogations. "There are already derogations," recalls Jean-François Rial, referring to the case of diplomats and businessmen. Also, even if the borders were to be reopened gradually and spread over time, "there will inevitably be some for the 'affinitaires' [whose main motivation is to visit relatives, often the family], for the Lebanese, the Moroccans, the Tunisians… Especially since the epidemic in these countries is under control, "he specifies.

In Lebanon, for example, only four new cases of contamination with Covid-19 were identified in 24 hours, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Health published Friday and confirming a downward trend.

Price fluctuation

Asked about the gradual resumption of travel and the potential increase in prices, Jean-François Rial believes that everything is a question of supply and demand. "There will be few planes, but there may be too many in relation to demand, so I think prices will be lower at the start," said the CEO of Voyageurs du monde.

However, he only sees this phenomenon in the short term. "Prices could then increase because demand will start to grow faster than the capacities of the airlines, which will have to reposition themselves," he continues. Jean-François Rial forecasts an increase in prices in the medium and long term, justifying, according to him, by the implementation of ecological taxes, but also by the decrease in the overall capacity of the airlines which, hard hit by the health crisis , many have gone bankrupt or deleted lines.

"I do not think that the uninterrupted fall in prices that we have known for twenty years continues," he said. "In the short term, perhaps, but in the medium and long term, I don't really believe it."

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