Masked Swiss guards in Rome. (Drawing) – Fabio Mazzarella / Sintesi / SIPA
“Take a trip for two / Both on the paths …” Admit, you have Journey to Italie of Lilicub in mind now. And returning to the peninsula will be possible from June 3. The Italian government decided on the night of Friday to Saturday to
reopen its borders to tourists from the EU and cancel the mandatory quarantine for foreign visitors.
These measures were announced after a Council of Ministers of almost ten hours around Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. They apply “while respecting the ties deriving from the legal order of the European Union”, the statement said, while the European borders of the Schengen area are currently closed, said a government statement. These measures could evolve according to a possible “epidemiological risk”, adds the text.
In Italy, tourism is one of the main sectors of the economy and accounts for around 13% of GDP. “The opening of the Italian borders to European citizens not only promotes tourism but also saves harvests with the return of around 150,000 seasonal workers from Romania, Poland and Bulgaria”, also welcomed on Saturday Coldiretti, one of the main farmers’ unions.
Free movement authorized on May 18 within the regions
From June 3, it will also be possible for Italians to travel freely throughout the country, without any limitation, except in the event of a resurgence of the epidemic. Covid-19 which left nearly 32,000 people dead on the peninsula. Confined since March 10 and authorized to travel only in their home commune only for health and work reasons, the Italians will again be able to move freely from May 18 within their region, according to the government press release.
With regard to economic and commercial activities, the government limits itself to fixing general security principles to be observed from May 18, without mentioning any specific sector or precise measure. “Economic, productive and social activities must take place in accordance with” principles capable of “reducing the risk of contamination in the sector in question,” simply said the press release.
According to the national media, this Monday, May 18 will see the reopening of a whole series of small and large non-food businesses, as well as beauty centers, hairdressers or bars and restaurants whose reopening was originally announced for June 1 .
