The travel restrictions for the EU, the Schengen member states and the UK recommended by the European Commission, have been extended until July 1, 2020. The rules, recommended by the EC about three months ago, remain in place: all non-essential travel will be banned, unless a waiver applies.

In its message of June 11, 2020 the European Commission also recommended to exempt the following categories from the travel restrictions after July 1, 2020:

• citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia;
• EU citizens and citizens of Schengen Member States and third country nationals legally residing in the European Union, as well as their family members, regardless whether or not they are returning home.

The EC recommends to extend the category of travelers with an essential function to:

• non-EU nationals travelling for the purpose of study;
• highly qualified third-country workers if their employment is necessary from an economic perspective and the work cannot be postponed or performed abroad.

Furthermore, the European Commission published a checklist for Member States to use after July 1, 2020 to determine whether the measures can be lifted for non-essentials travelers from countries outside the European Union.

The checklist will also be recommended to use when EU Member States consider to reintroduce the travel restrictions, should the level of infections rise.

Among other things, the epidemiological situation and the containment measures of that particular country will have to be taken into account. Member States should verify whether the non-EU countries admit European nationals or Schengen nationals as well and whether other EU Member States apply comparable measures.