Last Friday some 20+ travel and tourism bodies including unions across Europe demanded the European Commission leadership replace quarantine restrictions with a common EU testing protocol for travel.
According to the news from GTP and other media sources, the groups disagree with current restrictions taken to combat the coronavirus (Covid-19) They say the measures are hampering the livelihoods of more than 27 million Europeans who work in the sector.
In an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the groups, who represent over 5,000 member companies and their workers, complain of a continual lack of co-ordination and diverging travel restrictions as crippling their business. The letter comes at a moment when corporate and government interests are pushing hard for Fall travelers. The demands come at a point where data from airport body ACI EUROPE shows a continued decline in passenger traffic at Europe’s airports during the first two weeks of September.
These groups also urged President Ursula von der Leyen to see that the commission takes the lead in the development of an EU Testing Protocol for travel and its implementation to avoid quarantines and re-open borders.
The letter concluded by highlighting the core pillars and essential purpose of the European goals. Furthermore, the groups underline that the reduction and removal of quarantines is, state the signatories, instrumental in re-establishing the free movement of people, ending current discriminations and restoring the essential functionality of the Single Market.
Here are the signatories of the letter:
Airline Catering Associations (ACA)
Airports Council International Europe (ACI EUROPE)
Airlines International Representation in Europe (AIRE)
Alliance of Rail New Entrants (ALLRAIL)
Airport Services Association (ASA)
AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD)
Airlines for Europe (A4E)
Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO)
European Business Aviation Association (EBAA)
European Cockpit Association (ECA)
European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA)
European Federation of Campingsite Organisations & Holiday Park Associations (EFCO&HPA)
European Regions Airline Association (ERA)
European Travel Commission (ETC)
European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF)
European Tourism Association (ETOA)
European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC)
EU Travel Tech (ETT)
EuroGites (eurogites)
General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
Hotels, Restaurants & Cafés in Europe (HOTREC)
International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA)
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
International Road Transport Union (IRU)
Taxi Europe Alliance (TEA)