Holiday makers jet off as Europe reopens borders

European nations eased border controls on Monday (June 15) as parts of the continent tentatively reopens for business, following three months of lockdown.

That meant Germans being able to escape to holiday destinations including a lucky few to Spain and streams of French people heading into Belgium to buy cheap cigarettes.

Not everyone is free to move everywhere again though. Spain remains largely closed for another week, with many quarantine rules still in place meaning normal travel levels are a way off.

Greek airports are allowing more international flights as the country seeks to salvage its summer.

Roads into Denmark from Germany saw jams of 5 miles, as the tourists flocked in, while Italians headed into France to buy lottery scratch cards.

Varying levels of quarantining are still required for passengers arriving from countries seemed to be high risk.

For example, a 14-day period of isolation is mandatory for UK residents heading to Greece and France, and it’s currently the same rule for any visitor wishing to enter the Britain.

Before the crisis, an average of 3.5 million people crossed an internal EU border every day, according to a 2019 European Parliament report, almost half of them commuters.

European officials hope the lifting of internal border controls will allow a gradual reopening to other countries from July and resuscitate a tourism industry that flatlined during the lockdown.

Tourism and leisure activities make up almost 10% the EU economy and even more in Mediterranean countries, some of which were hit hardest in recent months.