We know the little song now.
Faced with the explosion of cases due, in part, to the outbreak of the Omicron variant on the Old Continent, several Member States of the European Union are once again establishing border controls.
In recent months, the vaccination certificate allowed to be exempted from the main travel restrictions.
Some countries are now asking for an additional guarantee: the negative test.
The latest, Sweden has just announced that travelers will have to present a test to hope to enter its territory, even if they are vaccinated.
In the European Union, seven other states have implemented similar measures: Portugal, Ireland, Cyprus, Latvia, Italy, Greece and Austria.
Finland and Denmark are expected to do the same soon.
France, for its part, requires such a PCR or antigen test of less than 24 hours only from unvaccinated people.
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"The certificate should suffice"
According to the European Commission, the requirement of a negative test in the EU must be subject to notice, be time-bound and proportionate.
"We understand that some Member States are taking action, but (...) we are not really convinced that for travel it is very useful, we still think that the certificate is the element which should be sufficient"
, said the curator Didier Reynders.
But even if you meet the conditions required to cross borders, the restrictions imposed in some countries can make you want to leave.
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The Spanish justice authorized on December 23 the establishment of a curfew from 1 hour to 6 a.m. in all towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants in most of the region of Catalonia.
The measures also include closing nightclubs and limiting private meetings to a maximum of 10 people.
Wearing a mask is once again compulsory in all indoor and outdoor public spaces in the Kingdom of Spain.
Read also Covid-19: Germany, Austria, Greece, Ireland ... These European countries which have already imposed a vaccination pass
New Years Canceled
In Belgium, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced on December 23 the closure of cinemas and theaters from December 26, while hotels, cafes and restaurants are only open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The health protocol is also reinforced in Greece. It is now necessary to wear two masks one on top of the other (or an FFP2 mask) in public transport and in the supermarket. In addition, the public festivities are canceled and new measures will be announced by the government in early January.
In the United Kingdom, which recorded a record on December 23 with nearly 120,000 new cases, the authorities have also tightened the screw. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced the cancellation of the traditional New Year's Eve celebrations, which span three days in Scotland, while nightclubs will have to close on December 27. In England, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is holding on. He removed any new restrictions before Christmas. In Wales, groups will be limited to a maximum of six people in pubs, restaurants and cinemas from 26 December.
The consequences of these announcements in Europe are immediate in the aviation sector.
The CEO of Lufthansa, the largest European airline, announced the cancellation of tens of 33,000 flights during the winter due to a
"sharp drop in bookings"
.
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