THE EU Commission president has called for all non-essential travel into the EU to be banned for 30 days, as Europe becomes the “coronavirus epicentre”.
More than 174,000 people have contracted the deadly coronavirus around the world and so far 77,000 people have recovered but more than 6,000 people have been killed.
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The head of the European commission has called for a temporary ban on foreign travel into all of the EU, meaning all travel to countries in the EU will be restricted.
It is unclear whether the ban would also mean travel out of the EU will be affected, or if travel between the EU countries will be banned.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU travel ban proposal would not apply to UK citizens.
She told a press conference: “The UK citizens are European citizens so of course there are no restrictions for the UK citizens to travel to the continent.”
The Schengen zone consists of 22 of the 27 European Union member states, as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein.
Ursula Von der Leyen said travel to the EU would be restricted “in order not to spread the virus”.
She said: “The less travel, the more we can contain the virus. Therefore, as I have just informed our G7 partners, I propose to introduce temporary restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU.
“This travel restriction should be in place for an initial period of 30 days, which can be prolonged if necessary.
“There are exemptions – long term residents in the EU, family members of EU nationals, as well as diplomats, doctors, nurses, researchers and experts.”
European Union leaders are set to hold a summit via video-conference Tuesday on efforts to contain the spread of the virus, which has now infected more than 50,000 people across Europe, and claimed more than 2,000 lives.
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According to Ursula Von der Leyen, the travel ban will not include goods and essential services.
She said: “Our measures to contain the Coronavirus outbreak will be effective only if we coordinate on the European level.
“We have to take exceptional measures to protect the health of our citizens. But let’s make sure goods and essential services continue to flow in our internal market. This is the only way to prevent shortages of medical equipment or food.”
Travel has decreased sharply as more and more countries apply tough new restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Italy, Spain and France are all on lockdown in an effort to curb the alarming rise in new coronavirus cases and deaths.
At the weekend, Jet2 ordered planes heading for Spain to perform a dramatic U-turn and announced that it would no longer fly to Lyon, Grenoble, Paris and Nice until at least April 26.
In the US, President Trump has extended his European flight ban to the UK and Irleland, travellers returning home from abroad have been stuck in line for hours at major airports for screenings and certain states like California and Illinois have ordered restaurants and bars to close.
