COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL on additional COVID-19 response measures
Date: 2020-10-28
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: EU aid, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, coronavirus disease, disease prevention, emergency aid, epidemic, epidemiology, exchange of information, free movement of persons, information technology applications

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 28.10.2020  COM(2020) 687 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL on additional COVID-19 response measures  
 
 
1.  INTRODUCTION 

More  than  eight  months  have  passed  since  the  World  Health  Organisation  recognised 
COVID-19 as a major public health emergency needing a global effort. Europe has adapted to 
an  unprecedented  situation  and  has  led  the  global  response.  As  our  Union  confronts  a 
resurgence of cases, Member States are better prepared and coordinated than they were in the 
early months of the pandemic. We have more knowledge of how to combat the spread of the 
coronavirus,  and  how  to  do  it  in  a  way  that  limits  the  damage  to  our  daily  lives.  However, 
citizens,  families  and  communities  across  Europe  continue  to  face  an  unprecedented  risk  to 
their  health  and  well-being,  while  uncertainty  undermines  our  societies  and  economies. 
Recent  weeks  have  seen  an  alarming  spread  of  the  virus  across  Europe,  and  new  measures 
have had to be applied. With health systems again under pressure, more needs to be done to 
control and overcome the situation, protecting lives and livelihoods, and promoting European 
solidarity. 

Whilst cooperation between Member States has improved since the start  of the pandemic, it 
remains  essential  if  we  are  to  tackle  effectively  the  threats  we  face.  Unilateral  and 
uncoordinated  action  undermines  the  impact  of  the  EU’s  response  and  the  confidence  of 
citizens. The relaxation of applied measures during the summer months was not always 
accompanied  by steps  to build up sufficient response capacity. This means that urgent 
steps  are  needed  now  at  both  national  and  EU  level:  stronger  measures  now  can  pay 
human and economic dividends in the coming months.  

The  Commission  has  worked  ceaselessly  to  support  national  efforts  since  the  onset  of  the 
pandemic. The measures it has introduced have, amongst others, helped keep essential goods 
and  services  flowing,  supported  national  healthcare  systems  which  found  themselves  under 
pressure, supported the economy, facilitated free movement of people and crossing of borders 
and boosted preparedness. Work with EU agencies has helped the EU to build its operational 
response1  too.  Work  to  combat  the  virus  and  to  sustain  the  economy  goes  hand  in  hand, 
addressing  citizens’  understandable  anxieties  and  ‘fatigue’.  It  is  essential  to  maintain  and 
reinforce efforts until reliable treatments and/or vaccines are widely available and taken up. 

In October, the European Council underlined the need for more cooperation: “to continue the 
overall coordination effort based on the best  available science, notably regarding quarantine 
regulations,  cross-border  contact  tracing,  testing  strategies,  the  joint  assessment  of  testing 
methods, the mutual recognition of tests, and the temporary restriction on non-essential travel 
into  the  EU”2.  This  mirrors  a  strong  wish  amongst  citizens  for  a  strong  EU  role3.  This 
Communication sets out next steps in key areas to reinforce the EU’s response.  

2.  THE NEXT PHASE IN EU RESPONSE MEASURES 

2.1.  Ensuring the flow of information to allow informed decision-making 

Citizens, policy-makers, and businesses depend on the information they have to inform their 
decisions: ensuring the quality and timeliness of that data is therefore crucial.  

1   See Communication on short-term EU health preparedness for COVID-19 outbreaks, COM(2020) 318, 15 

July 2020. 

2   European Council Conclusions, EUCO 15/20, 16 October 2020. 
3   Standard Eurobarometer 93 (published October 2020) found that 62% of people trusted the EU to make the 

rights decisions about the pandemic in the future.  

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Up  to  date,  accurate,  comprehensive  and  comparable  epidemiological  data  is  essential  to 
know the status of the spread of the coronavirus at regional and national level. Provision of 
both  numerical  and  qualitative  information  on  testing,  contact  tracing  and  public  health 
surveillance  is  crucial  in  the  next  months.  The  sharing  of  data  on  the  EU  COVID-19  Data 
Platform needs to become the norm: at present only five Member States are using this to share 
information. A new enhanced surveillance portal will act as an online entry point for all key 
activities. 

The  European  Centre  for  Disease  Prevention  and  Control  (ECDC)  is  pivotal  as  the  central 
point  for  the  data  flow  and  needs  to  have  the  information  required.  Its  surveillance  of  the 
situation should rest on data compiled according to common EU definitions, to have a better 
ability to  detect  early signals,  and to  support more accurate risk assessments and responses. 
Next month, the Commission will make proposals to improve the longer-term health security 
framework at EU level, but in the meantime, Member States must step up their sharing of 
data on a common basis, and ensure a strengthened and integrated surveillance system across 
the EU. This should extend beyond data relating to the pandemic itself, to areas such as data 
on  the  economic  situation  and  on  health  systems  (hospital  beds  availability  and  medicines 
shortages). Knowledge-sharing on the impact of different treatments is also critical to both the 
effectiveness and the efficiency of response. The Commission, in close cooperation with the 
ECDC,  should  facilitate  discussion  among  epidemiologists  and  other  experts  at  EU  level  to 
coordinate national approaches and exchange best practices. The use of existing networks or 
the creation of a new platform will be explored. 

This  will  allow  for  a  better  use  of  tools  to  target  EU  support  where  it  is  most  needed.  For 
example,  accurate  mapping  of  intensive  care  bed  availability  would  help  in  the  transfer  of 
patients  or  medical  teams  between  Member  States,  which  can  be  supported  through  a  €220 
million mobility action already in place.  

Next steps: 

  Member States should provide all relevant data to the ECDC and the Commission 

using common criteria. 

  An upgraded ECDC online portal to bring together all key data by April 2021. 

2.2. Effective and rapid testing  

Testing – in conjunction with contact tracing and effective isolation practices  - is one of the 
main  tools  available  to  slow  down  the  spread  of  the  coronavirus.  Accurate  and  widespread 
testing allows for public health decisions to be taken on the best basis; rapid testing allows the 
minimum interruption in the essential work of staff in hospitals or care homes and for swift 
action  to  be  taken  in  epicentres  such  as  universities.  It  can  also  facilitate  travel  in  certain 
circumstances.  The  Commission  has  been  encouraging  the  development  of  reliable  tests, 
national  testing  strategies  and  rapid  antigen  tests4.  The  current  shortfalls  in  the  testing 
capacity  in  the  face  of  a  resurgence  of  infection  show  that  further  swift  action  is 
indispensable.  

There  are  two  types  of  tests  now  developed  for  COVID-19.  The  category  of  “Reverse 
Transcriptase - Polymerase Chain Reaction” tests are considered as “gold standard” for their 

4   Communication  from  the  Commission  Guidelines  on  COVID-19  in  vitro  diagnostic  tests  and  their 

performance, C(2020) 2391, 15 April 2020. 

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accuracy,  but  they  take  time  and  use  various  reagents  that  can  be  subject  to  demand 
constraints. Rapid antigen tests5 are a new generation of faster and cheaper COVID-19 tests, 
allowing for a test result in often less than 30 minutes. These are starting to reach the market 
and Member States are increasingly exploring their wider use. They offer the possibility for 
rapid,  inexpensive  and  early  detection  of  the  most  infectious  cases,  but  are  recognised  as 
substantially less sensitive. This points to the need for careful strategies for their use: they can 
be  particularly  beneficial  in  scenarios  such  as  suspected  outbreaks  of  COVID-19  in  remote 
settings  or  to  help  investigate  outbreaks  investigations  in  residential  facilities  such  as  care 
homes, or when there is widespread community transmission.  

The Commission is today adopting a Commission Recommendation on COVID-19 testing 
strategies,  including  the  use  of  rapid  antigen  tests  to  promote  effective  testing.  The 
Recommendation sets out key elements to be considered for national, regional or local testing 
strategies:  the  scope  of  COVID-19  testing  strategies,  groups  to  be  prioritised  in  case  of 
capacity problems, and key points linked to testing capacities and resources. The EU should 
monitor  these  national  strategies  shared  by  Member  States  to  allow  mutual  learning  and  to 
identify gaps, on the basis of timely,  accurate and comparable data at national, regional and 
local  levels.  The  Recommendation  should  also  accelerate  the  selection  and  deployment  of 
rapid and reliable antigen tests.  

As  a  first  step,  the  Commission  is  now  mobilising  €100  million  under  the  Emergency 
Support  Instrument  to  directly  purchase  rapid  antigen  tests  and  deliver  them  to  the 
Member States, based on clear criteria reflecting defined needs at national level and stringent 
quality criteria. In parallel, the Commission is also launching a joint procurement to enable a 
second stream of access for Member States to these promising tests.  

Testing plays an important role in facilitating free movement in the EU. Some Member States 
are applying prior testing requirements which depend on the ability of other Member States to 
undertake  such  tests.  Travellers  unable  to  obtain  them,  for  example  because  there  are  no 
testing  capacities  foreseen  for  asymptomatic  travellers  in  the  Member  State  of  departure, 
should  be  offered  to  undergo  a  test  after  arrival6.  The  mutual  recognition  of  tests,  of  either 
type,  is  essential.  If  negative  COVID-19  tests  are  to  be  required  or  recommended  for  any 
activity, this relies on the availability of such tests and the need for all tests meeting agreed 
minimum  and  sufficient  standards  to  be  accepted  as  valid.  Absence  of  such  mutual 
recognition  could  in  particular  become  a  serious  hurdle  if  Member  States  require  or 
recommend  testing  prior  to  travel  (cf.  section  2.6  below).  As  set  out  in  the  Council 
Recommendation  on  a  coordinated  approach  to  the  restriction  of  free  movement,  Member 
States  should  enhance  cooperation  on  different  aspects  related  to  testing,  including 
verification  of  test  certificates,  taking  into  account  research  and  advice  of  epidemiological 
experts  as  well  as  best  practices.  Cross-border  cooperation  on  testing  (e.g.  on  laboratory 
processing) would be one way to alleviate capacity shortfalls until these are remedied. 

Next steps: 

  The Commission is mobilising €100 million from the Emergency Support Instrument to 
directly  purchase  rapid  antigen  tests  and  distribute  them  as  soon  as  possible  to 
Member States, based on a defined allocation strategy. 

  The Commission will launch a joint procurement to make rapid antigen tests available 

5   Rapid antigen tests are immunoassays that detect the presence of a viral antigen. 
6   Point 17, Council Recommendation 2020/1475 of 13 October 2020 on a coordinated approach to the 

restriction of free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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and calls on all Member States to participate. 

  National  strategies  on  testing  to  be  submitted  by  mid-November  and  an  analysis 

completed by end of November. 

2.3.   

Making full use of contact tracing apps 

Contact tracing is one of the most critical tools to prevent the spread of the virus and break 
transmission chains. But as infection rates increase, manual contact tracing operations become 
more  difficult.  Contact  tracing  and  warning  apps  can  make  a  real  difference  by  using 
digital technology to send warnings more quickly. These apps alert users if they have been 
in proximity for a defined period to a person who reports a positive test for COVID-19: while 
ensuring  full  compliance  with  data  protection  and  privacy  rules.  An EU  toolbox7  has 
supported  the  development  of  many  national  apps,  now  launched  in  19  Member  States  and 
downloaded  by  50  million  Europeans.  This  is  a  good  start  but  much  more  is  needed  if  the 
apps are to play a major role in controlling the spread of the coronavirus. All Member States 
should  have  an  app  in  place,  and  there  should  be  a  new  communication  effort  at  EU  and 
national level to promote uptake of these apps.  

At Member States’ request, the Commission has also recently launched a solution for linking 
national apps across the EU through a ‘European Federation Gateway Service’. Three national 
apps  (Germany,  Ireland,  and  Italy)  are  now  linked  through  this  service  with  five  more 
Member  States  expected  to  connect  in  the  coming  days.  This  means  that,  for  example, 
someone with the German app can receive a warning if they have had contact with someone 
who reported a positive test for COVID-19 via the Italian app. A further 16 Member States 
plan  to  join  by  the  end  of  November.  The  Commission  stands  ready  to  assist  Member 
States in any way possible to develop and roll out national contact tracing apps, and to 
interconnect them via the Gateway.  

Next steps:  

  The  Commission  will  support  Member  States  to  develop  national  tracing  apps  and 

connect them to the European Federation Gateway Service. 

  All  Member States  should set  up effective and compatible apps to allow an EU-wide 

system. 

2.4.   

Effective vaccination  

The development and procurement of an effective vaccine is essential to bringing an end to 
the crisis. Under the EU Strategy on COVID-19 vaccines, the Commission is negotiating and 
concluding  Advance  Purchase  Agreements  (APAs)  with  vaccine  producers  so  as  to  secure 
access to promising vaccine candidates at the earliest possible opportunity once proven 
safe and effective, and on the best possible terms. Contracts with upfront payments of €1.02 
billion  have  been  signed  so  far,  with  exploratory  talks  concluded  with  three  companies 
involving a further €1.45bn in upfront payments. 

7   Common EU Toolbox for Member States, Mobile applications to support contact tracing in the EU’s fight 

against COVID-19, eHealth Network, 15 April 2020. 
https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_en.pdf 

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There  is  no  guarantee  that  any  given  vaccine  candidate  will  succeed.  A  broad  portfolio  of 
vaccine producers is therefore needed. The portfolio will be kept under constant review as 
the development of vaccines evolves. This will also require additional funding from Member 
States  under  the  Emergency  Support  Instrument8.  In  addition,  a  network  is  being  set  up  to 
support smaller developers of promising vaccines9. The EU has also  led the global effort to 
provide  fair  and  equitable  access  to  vaccines  and  facilitate  their  deployment  worldwide,  as 
global public goods, via the COVAX facility10. 

Vaccines do not save lives in themselves - vaccination does. Having a vaccine available is not 
enough. It also needs to be distributed and deployed to maximum effect. On 15 October 2020, 
the Commission set out the key steps that Member States need to take in order to prepare11. 
This  includes  getting  ready  all  the  equipment  and  infrastructure  to  undertake  the 
immunisation, and define clear priority groups to be the first to benefit. Member States were 
called  on  to  establish  national  vaccination  strategies  to  ensure  full  readiness  and  the 
approach to be taken as vaccination is rolled out to all.  

This work needs to be taken forward and operationalised as much as possible in a coordinated 
manner. The Commission will put in place a common reporting framework so that Member 
States  can  work  together  and  learn  from  each  other.  The  European  Centre  for  Disease 
Prevention will compile a first overview of national vaccination plans by the end of October 
2020, to allow lessons to be drawn and experience to be shared. A “test day” will be organised 
as an exercise to allow plans for strategy and deployment to be stress-tested.  

Citizens also need to know that vaccines are safe. This requires robust data, strong controls, 
and  full  transparency.  In  addition  to  the  robust  authorisation  process  before  use,  it  calls  for 
continuous  observation  as  the  vaccines  are  rolled  out,  with  a  real-time  assessment  of  the 
impact  of  the  vaccines  once  mass  vaccination  begins.  As  well  as  the  pre-deployment 
authorisation by the European Medicines Agency, the Commission will support a platform for 
post-authorisation studies monitoring the safety, effectiveness, and impact of vaccination. 

As work on the development and deployment of vaccines develops, other issues are likely to 
emerge  which  may  require  a  degree  of  EU-level  coordination  and  cooperation  between 
Member States, such as the use of proof of vaccination to be provided to citizens. 

Next steps: 

  Conclusions from first overview of national vaccination plans in November. 
  Platform  to  be  set  up  as  part  of  strategy  to  monitor  effectiveness  of  vaccine 

strategies as they are rolled out. 

2.5.  

Effective communication to citizens 

Effective  communication  is  a  critical  element  of  any  public  health  crisis  response.  The 
success  or  failure  of  pandemic  response  largely  depends  on  community  engagement, 

8   The  Emergency  Support Instrument  has been triggered as  a  financing arm of the Joint  European Roadmap 
towards  lifting  coronavirus  containment  measures,  to  help  Member  States  mitigating  the  immediate 
consequences of the pandemic and anticipate the needs related to the exit and recovery. 

9   To be set up and funded under Horizon 2020 before end of 2020 
10   https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_1694  
11   Communication on preparedness for COVID-19 vaccination strategies and vaccine deployment, COM(2020) 

680, 15 October 2020. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
individual  behaviour  and  adherence  to  public  health  recommendations.  It  is  therefore 
imperative  that  there  is  a  sustained  communication  effort  to  keep  citizens  up  to  date  on 
epidemiological  developments  as  well  as  possible  restrictive  measures,  which  need  to  be 
consistent and clear in order to foster compliance among citizens.  

This is particularly important against a backdrop of the false and misleading information that 
continues to circulate, as well as to address the risk of “pandemic fatigue” and an increasing 
unwillingness  to  respect  precautions  such  as  physical  distancing  and  reduced  social 
interactions.  Every  effort  should  be  made  to  ensure  that  targeted  communication  reaches 
segments  of  the  population  that  are  most  vulnerable  and  those  most  likely  to  spread  the 
disease  through  social  interaction.  It  needs  to  be  clear,  consistent  and  up-to  date.  Special 
attention needs to be paid to social media monitoring and response. Vaccination is a specific 
area where public authorities need to step up their actions to tackle misinformation as a main 
cause of hesitancy, and coordinate on disinformation response. 

Next Steps: 

•  All  Member  States  should  relaunch  communication  campaigns  adapted  to  the  current 

situation. 

2.6. 

Securing essential supplies  

Since the start of the outbreak, the EU has supported manufacturers to ensure availability of 
the essential medicines and medical  equipment  needed in  the fight  against  COVID-19. This 
has included joint procurement and strategic medical stockpiling to build up key supplies. The 
large  Joint  Procurement  framework  contracts  provide  support  to  the  preparedness  work  by 
Member  States.  In  case  of  emergency  needs,  reflecting  European  solidarity,  under  both  the 
rescEU  reserve  of  medical  equipment  and  the  Emergency  Support  Instrument,  equipment 
such  as  ventilators  and  masks  as  well  as  therapeutics,  such  as  Remdesivir,  have  been 
delivered to  the Member States with  most acute  needs. Efficient distribution inside an open 
Single Market makes a major contribution to the effective delivery of supplies essential to the 
medical response. The Commission will remain vigilant and react quickly to disproportionate 
unilateral  restrictions  on  these  or  any  other  types  of  goods,  which  undermine  the  collective 
effort. 

Open  Joint  procurements  (where  participating  Member  States  and  countries  can  place 
orders) 

ITEMS 

GLOVES AND 
COVERALLS 

AVAILABLE 
SINCE 

April (gloves) 

May 
(coveralls) 

VOLUME 
(OVER 12 MONTHS) 

BUDGET 
CEILING 

Several million  

€97 million 

EYE AND 
RESPIRATORY 
PROTECTION 

 April 

20 million goggles 
12 million face shields 
37 million FFP2 masks 
26 million FFP3 masks 
301  million 
masks 

surgical 

6 

€1,4 billion 

 
 
 
 
 
VENTILATORS 

 April 

110,000 units 

€1,4 billion 

LABORATORY 
EQUIPMENT 

 May 

30 different lots 

€192 million 

MEDICINES USED 
IN INTENSIVE 
CARE UNITS 

October 
(contracts are 
being signed) 

21 medicines in  
45 presentations,  
over 103 million vials 

€543 million 

REMDESIVIR 
(VEKLURY) 

 October 

Over  500,000  treatment 
courses 

€3,4 billion 

As well as for tests (see above), a new Joint Procurement is also under way for medical 
equipment 
injecting  devices, 
disinfectants, personal protective equipment and anaesthetics). 

(vaccine  carriers,  waste  containers, 

for  vaccination 

The EU has supported projects for the industrial repurposing of production capacities to meet 
urgently  increased  needs  across  Member  States.  Member  States  are  invited  to  monitor  the 
production capacity for essential medical supplies and map flexible production possibilities on 
their  territory.  In  parallel,  the  EU  led  international  efforts  –  in  the  G20  and  bilaterally  –  to 
keep critical supply chains open and undisrupted. The next step will be for the EU to promote 
the “trade and health” initiative in the World Trade Organisation  to  bring  new  actions 
and commitments on keeping healthcare goods moving across borders. 

One  step  taken  was  to  support  the  market  by  reducing  the burden  of  customs  duties  and 
value  added  tax  (VAT).  The  Commission  authorised  requests  from  Member  States  to 
suspend temporarily customs duties and VAT on the import of medical equipment from non-
EU  countries.  It  defined  an  indicative  list  of  goods,  such  as  personal  protective  equipment, 
testing kits, ventilators and key medicines. This will now be extended to April 2021. 

There is  also  room to  further adapt  the VAT framework to  ensure that  COVID-19 vaccines 
and  tests  become  more  affordable  for  health  services  and  citizens.  The  Commission  is 
therefore proposing to temporarily adapt the rules to apply a reduced rate or exemptions of 
VAT in respect of COVID-19 testing kits, and to allow Member States to grant a zero 
rate in respect of COVID-19 vaccines.  

Next steps:  

  Take forward the new joint procurement for vaccination equipment. 
  Suspension  of  customs  duties  and  VAT  on  imported  medical  equipment  to  the  end  of 

April 2021. 

  The  Commission  call  on  the  Council  to  swiftly  adopt  the  proposal  on  exemptions  for 

testing kits and vaccines. 

2.7 

Facilitating safe travel 

Free  movement  within  the  EU  and  the  border-free  Schengen  area  are  key  achievements  of 
European integration. At the worst periods of the first wave of the pandemic, many national 
governments and local authorities applied travel restrictions at the local or regional levels, and 
reintroduced internal borders controls inside the EU, with only essential travel permitted. As 

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the situation improved, controls  on free movement  inside and between  Member States were 
lifted  and  most  Member  States  opened  their  borders  to  non-essential  travel.  The  improved 
coordination since then of measures linked to people moving around the  EU further reduces 
any  need  for  border  controls.  Any  remaining  COVID-19  related  internal  border  control 
measures should therefore also be lifted.  

Most  Member  States  have  nevertheless  required  travellers  from  other  Member  States  to 
undergo  quarantine  or  testing  before  or  upon  entry  into  their  territory,  with  requirements 
modulated according to the epidemiological situation. While such restrictions can be justified 
in  the  interests  of  public  health,  they  must  be  proportionate  and  must  not  discriminate 
between  citizens  of  different  Member  States,  either  de  jure  or  de  facto12.  In  addition,  a 
patchwork  of  different  rules  developed,  with  restrictions  varying  both  in  terms  of  which 
regions are covered and what measures are required upon entry (such as length of quarantine 
or the role of testing). This  confusing situation  was harmful  to  both  the European economy 
and  to  citizens’  exercise  of  their  right  to  freedom  of  movement.  For  this  reason,  the 
Commission made proposals for a more coordinated approach13. The Council has adopted a 
Recommendation14 setting out a number of important steps towards clarity and consistency in 
defining  regions  according  to  their  risk  level.  The  ECDC  has  also  started  publishing  the 
common map that should serve as the basis for Member States’  risk assessments15. Member 
States should now implement these arrangements to give citizens and businesses clarity and 
predictability  and  the  EU  should  continue  to  work  on  bringing  the  nature  and  extent  of 
measures closer through a common approach.  

As  the  epidemiological  situation  deteriorates,  it  will  be  crucial  to  maintain  safe  travel  for 
professional  and  imperative  family  reasons.  It  is  important  to  ensure  a  consistent 
implementation of the list of essential travellers exempted from quarantine requirements. This 
has important economic as well as personal implications, and we must allow our economy to 
continue functioning even as restrictions on non-essential movement are tightened to slow the 
spread of COVID-19. The Commission will continue to monitor the situation carefully. 

A testing protocol for travellers 

The  European  Union  Aviation  Safety  Agency  and  the  European  Centre  for  Disease 
Prevention and Control are working together on guidelines on testing which could be used by 
public health authorities, airlines and airports to  help the safe arrival of passengers16. This 
work  is  now  being  brought  together  in  an  EU  Health  Safety  testing  protocol,  with  the  full 
involvement  of  national  authorities.  This  would  mean  that  common  rules  could  be  applied 
whenever testing is used, covering areas such as the timing of tests (both ahead of departure 
or  upon  arrival),  proof  of  tests  taken  in  another  Member  State,  target  groups,  and  the 

12   For example, de facto discrimination may result if mutual recognition of tests is not assured under a testing 

requirement. 

13   Proposal for a Council Recommendation of 4 September 2020, COM(2020) 499 
14  Council Recommendation 2020/1475 of 13 October 2020 on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free 

movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

15   Available at: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19/situation-updates/weekly-maps-coordinated-

restriction-free-movement  

16   This will build on the Aviation Health Safety Protocol produced by EASA-ECDC in May 2020. The Joint 

Action EU Healthy Gateways has also worked on a common strategy for testing of travellers at EU 
international airports. 

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resources  and  infrastructure  needed  at  airports,  which  could  be  extended  to  other  potential 
locations. Regard should at all times be had to the overriding criterion of proportionality17. 

Consistent quarantine rules  

The  development  of  testing  strategies,  based  on  validated  technologies  and  available 
capacities,  should  also  inform  an  EU  policy  on  quarantine.  At  present,  there  is  a  wide 
variety  of  measures  applied,  as  Member  States  assess  the  different  impacts  on  health, 
restrictions  on  freedom  and  likely  compliance.  For  example,  some  quarantine  measures  are 
implemented on a voluntary basis, others are mandatory; some take testing into account in the 
process; and the duration of isolation and quarantine likewise varies from 7 to 14 days. The 
Commission  has tasked the  European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to  provide 
scientific guidance on quarantines, with a view to working with Member States on a common 
and proportionate European approach. 

A Common Passenger Locator Form 

Passenger  Locator  Forms  help  Member  States  undertake  risk  assessment  of  arrivals  and 
enable contact tracing. The Council has agreed to work towards a common digital European 
Passenger Locator Form which would help both the swift processing of the information and 
improve  data  exchange  between  Member  States.  Work  has  been  under  way  since  July  to 
develop  this  approach18  so  that  a  common  system  can  be  put  in  place.  Full  respect  for  data 
protection  requirements  is  needed.  Each  EU  Member  State  would  have  access  only  to  their 
national  data,  and  personal  data  exchange  for  contact  tracing  would  occur  through  existing 
channels.  A  pilot  next  month  will  allow  Member  States  to  prepare  for  its  use  and  pave  the 
way to launch the EU Passenger Locator Form in December. 

Re-open EU 

Planning and making a trip in Europe is becoming more complex by the day and citizens need 
clear information to minimise risks and costs. To provide timely and accurate information on 
health  measures  and  travel  restrictions  in  all  Member  States,  the  Commission  launched  the 
‘Re-open EU’ online tool in mid-June. Nearly 7 million visitors have used the service since 
its launch. Once Member States provide a full information flow to the ECDC, it will become 
the one-stop-shop for information  about  the state of health measures and  travel  possibilities 
inside the EU.  

Tools  like  Re-open  EU  are  crucial  in  terms  of  helping  citizens  make  informed  decisions  to 
travel  while  keeping  safe  and  healthy,  and  in  supporting  the  economy.  Tourism  makes  up 
some 10% of EU GDP, and is as high as some 25% in some Member States. A mobile Re-
open EU app is being developed and will be launched in the coming weeks. The impact is of 
course  lessened  when  information  arrives  late  or  is  incomplete,  such  as  failing  to  reflect 
regional  differences  in  the  measures  in  place.  In  order  to  maximise  the  benefits  of  this  tool 
and make sure that information is accurate and up-to-date, the Commission calls on Member 
States to:  

17 For example, the relative costs and benefits of rapid testing during a waiting period for boarding at an airport 

or port are quite different to those applicable to road transport at border crossings. 

18   Communication on Short-term EU health preparedness for COVID-19 outbreaks, COM/2020/318 final, 15 

July 2020. https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/communication_-_short-term_eu_health_preparedness.pdf  

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  Provide  timely  and  frequent  updates  of  health  and  travel  measures,  when  measures 

change and prior to announcement.  

  Provide complete and accurate information.  
  Provide regional information, where possible and relevant.  

Guidance on essential travel from outside the EU 

In March 2020, a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU was introduced and 
was extended several times. The result was a list of countries for which travel restrictions on 
non-essential travel could be lifted, which has been regularly updated. 

One  aspect  of  the  Recommendation  was  to  define  certain  categories  of  people  to  be 
considered as essential and therefore be exempted from the restrictions. This needs to be 
further  refined,  and  the  Commission  is  adopting  guidance  to  promote  consistent 
application. The Commission will keep the Recommendation under review in order to update 
the criteria used as the situation evolves. 

Next steps:  

  Full  implementation  of  the  Council  Recommendation  of  13  October  2020  by  Member 
States and further steps towards a common approach on restrictions to free movement. 
  Commission  to  work  with  ECDC  and  member  States  on  a  common  approach  on 

quarantine (ECDC contribution in November 2020). 

  Common EU digital Passenger Locator Form to be launched in December 2020. 
  A mobile Re-open EU app to be launched in the coming weeks. 
  Review of the criteria used for Common approach on free movement to be applied by all 

Member States 

2.8   Extending the Green Lanes 

The application of Green Lanes – most notably for road freight to cross borders in less than 15 
minutes – has been instrumental in maintaining the supply of goods and the economic fabric of 
the EU. This has made a major contribution to limiting the damage of the pandemic to daily life. 
Some  restrictions  continue  to  hamper  the  situation,  including  the  application  of  quarantine 
restrictions and the closure of essential services for freight drivers: these should be addressed. 
Closing  borders  leads  to  serious  delays,  affecting  trucks  and  their  goods,  as  well  as  service 
providers  and  frontier  workers.  The  Commission  proposes  to  extend  the  Green  Lane 
approach  to  ensure  that  multi-modal  transport  works  effectively  by  extension  to  areas 
including  rail  freight,  air  cargo  and  waterborne  freight,  and  to  make  specific 
arrangements for seafarers. Extending the Green Lane approach would aim at ensuring that 
where Member States in fact impose temporary restrictions at borders or sanitary controls, these 
do not excessively hamper the Single Market, and in particular, the free movement of goods, the 
freedom  to  provide  cross-border  services,  and  the  free  movement  of  frontier  workers  and 
transport workers across borders. 

Next step:  

  The Commission will monitor to ensure that more than 90% of border crossing points 

continue to be permanently fluid with under 15 min crossing time.  

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3.  CONCLUSION: BUILDING A STRONGER FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE 

While working continuously on improving the global, European and national response to the 
resurgent  pandemic,  lessons  must  also  be  learned  to  put  in  place  a  robust  system  for  the 
future. COVID-19 has revealed a number of shortcomings in the EU’s health crisis response 
structures and actions and ad hoc responses have meant that the potential of coordination has 
not  been  used  to  the  full.  Member  States  should  now  heed  their  own  call  for  a  more 
consistent and coordinated approach.  

The  Commission  will  adopt  a  package  of  initiatives  on  11  November,  establishing  the 
first  building  blocks  of  a  European  Health  Union.  It  will  include  a  proposal  on  tackling 
serious  cross-border  health  threats,  setting  out  a  more  comprehensive  approach  to  crisis 
preparedness,  surveillance and response.  It  will also  include changes to  the mandates of the 
European Centre for Disease Control and the European Medicines Agency, to improve their 
capacities to contribute to crisis preparedness and response. These measures will address more 
structural  gaps  and  upgrades  that  are  needed  to  the  EU’s  health  security  framework.  Other 
changes  for  the  future  include  the  need  for  more  built-in  emergency  contingencies  in  the 
transport sector.  

The months ahead will be challenging. The capacity of healthcare to respond will be put to the 
test, and governments will face difficult choices about what restrictions are needed to control 
the  spread  of  the  virus.  The  steps  set  out  in  the Communication  show  how  the  EU  can  and 
must act to bring a European dimension to the efforts to combat the resurgence of infection. 
Cooperation  is  essential  to  using  the  potential  of  new  technologies,  to  ensure  that  scarce 
resources are deployed to best effect, and to ensuring that citizens and business can continue 
to  benefit  from  the  economic  and  societal  benefits  of  the  Single  Market.  The  measures 
proposed should be swiftly followed up at Member State as well as EU level. 

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