COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL A common path to safe and sustained re-opening
Date: 2021-03-17
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: EU Member State, coronavirus disease, epidemic, free movement of goods, fundamental rights, health certificate, public health, travel, vaccination

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 17.3.2021  COM(2021) 129 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL A common path to safe and sustained re-opening  
 
 
1 

INTRODUCTION 

The  next  few  months  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  will  call  for  a  careful  balance.  The  virus 
continues to be a major global threat. EU citizens and health systems remain under pressure, with 
emerging variants  triggering new cases. At the same time, there is  reason to  look  forward to  a 
substantial  reduction  in  the  prevalence  of  the  virus,  raising  the  prospect  of  a  lifting  of  the 
restrictions  weighing  on  citizens  and  the  economy  alike.  This  Communication  charts  the  way 
ahead  for  a  balanced  policy  and  common  EU  approach,  pointing  to  what  we  need  to  do  to 
advance  the  time  when  we  can  recover  our  European  way  of  life,  but  to  do  so  in  a  safe  and 
sustainable way with control over the virus. 

Controlling the COVID-19 pandemic has required an unprecedented range of restrictions. Those 
restrictions  continue  to  come  at  a  high  and  ever-increasing  cost  for  individuals,  families, 
communities  and  businesses.  With  the  risk  of  emerging  variants,  some  Member  States  have 
extended  or  imposed  new  restrictions,  causing  disruption  to  citizens  and  supply  chains.  The 
conditions  must  be  created  across  the  Single  Market  to  allow  for  safe  and  coordinated  re-
opening, so that citizens can enjoy their rights in full and so that economic and social activity can 
return.  This  will  give  us  the  foundation  of  strong  public  health  on  which  we  can  launch  the 
recovery which citizens and businesses so sorely need. 

EU citizens have good reason to expect the situation to improve: above all, thanks to vaccination. 
Vaccination is our principal means to combat the virus, and already, there is clear evidence that 
those population groups who have been vaccinated have significant levels of protection from the 
disease.  The  investment  in  vaccine  development  and  production  made  by  the  EU  and  the 
Member  States  in  2020,  and  the  steps  now  under  way  to  boost  production  and  supply  of  the 
vaccines to the EU, are paying off: all Member States will now see increase in vaccine supply, 
with  300  million  doses  of  the  currently  authorised  vaccines  expected  in  the  second  quarter  of 
2021. Swift and effective deployment of these vaccines by Member States will be a key driver in 
bringing down the number of new cases, and thus determining when and how restrictions can be 
lifted.  At  the  same  time,  hygiene  and  physical  distancing  will  remain  essential  measures  to 
control the virus until high levels of vaccination coverage are achieved. 

In lifting restrictions, we must learn the lessons of 2020, and avoid the extra costs of stop-start 
restrictions.  All  the  steps  to  re-opening  need  to  be  sustainable,  to  command  the  confidence  of 
citizens  and  provide  a  solid  basis  for  recovery.  One  key  step  is  the  HERA  Incubator,  which 
specifically targets the risk that variants will bring a resurgence in the virus and limit the impact 
of vaccines1. 

This Communication invites Member States to adopt a coordinated approach to safe re-opening 
and sets out steps and tools to take to achieve that common goal. Each step towards re-opening 
will be more effective and more convincing if taken as part of an EU-wide approach to safe and 
sustainable re-opening, one which promotes the goal of lifting restrictions within a common set 
of  measures  grounded  in  a  clear  understanding  of  how  to  ensure,  and  maintain,  an  effective 
suppression  of  the  virus.  Reopening  will  take  longer,  cost  more,  and  be  less  sustainable  if  the 
Member States do not work together; moreover reopening in a coordinated manner ensures the 

1   “HERA Incubator: Anticipating together the threat of COVID-19 variants”, COM(2021) 78, 17 February 2021 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
continuity of the internal market which is inextricably linked to the economic and social life of 
Europeans as well as those who interact with them be that from a trade and economic dimension 
or  through  mobility  Our  interdependence  means  that,  so  long  as  some  Member  States  apply 
restrictions, there will be limitations as to how far other Member States can successfully reopen.  

Our work inside the EU needs to progress in step with global progress. The EU’s commitment to 
openness  will  drive  its  approach  to  gradually  re-build  open  societies  and  economies.  Only  a 
global approach can bring a solution  to  this  global challenge and common global solutions  are 
the best way to ensure a sustainable recovery.   

2 

WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS RE-OPENING 

The  epidemiological  situation  varies  across  the  EU  and  within  Member  States,  as  do  the 
measures taken to limit the spread of the virus. But one of the lessons we have learned so far is 
that our interdependence means that imposing restrictions in one part of the EU has implications 
for  all.  We  can  expect  the  same  to  be  true  when  it  comes  to  loosening  these  restrictions.  This 
calls for a common approach to guide action across the EU. 

The various restrictions applied by governments in Member States – to movement and travel, to 
meeting  friends  and family, to  schools  and universities, shops,  cultural  venues, restaurants  and 
bars – have played a critical part in controlling the virus. Choices about the timing and the mix of 
such  restrictions  have  both  reacted  to  and  had  an  impact  on  the  prevalence  of  the  virus.  The 
experience  of  the  last  year  has  shown  the  advantages  of  managing  the  situation  proactively, 
rather than reacting to  a situation that is spiralling out  of control. The same will be true as we 
gradually  assess  the  impact  that  vaccination  has  on  cutting  transmission  chains  and  reducing 
infections. Evidence-based decision-making, based on robust epidemiological indicators will be 
key to opening at the right time – with the virus sufficiently under control to allow for relaxation, 
and to avoid restrictions lasting longer than necessary.  

The  European  Centre  for  Disease  Prevention  and  Control  (ECDC)  is  today  setting  out  a 
framework  to  help  Member  States  to  take  such  decisions.  The  approach  would  define  tiers 
reflecting  the  epidemiological  situation  in  each  Member  State.  It  would  allow  simulations 
illustrating  how  much  latitude  each  Member  State  has  to  lighten  response  measures  without 
risking a reversal in the spread of the virus. Clear indicative epidemiological thresholds will help 
coordination, predictability and transparency. A clearer scientific basis2 will help to understand 
and  manage  the  connection  between  the  lifting  of  measures  and  the  impact  on  COVID-19 
incidence  and  mortality  as  vaccination  accelerates.  An  interactive  digital  tool  developed  by 
ECDC  will  be  operational  in  April  for  use  by  Member  States3.  Different  Member  States  will 
continue to make different choices about which restrictions to apply and to lift at different times: 

2   The COVID-19 Scenario Analysis Toolbox of the Commission’s Joint Research Centre already provides 

interactive tools to simulate the effects of vaccination strategies combined with different measures at national 
and regional level. 

3   This would be designed so that decision-makers and public health professionals in Member States will be able to 
use their own estimates for the effective reproduction number and for vaccination coverage, if they so wish, or to 
make use of ECDC estimates. 

2 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
the  framework  will  help  Member  States  prioritise  in  these  choices  by  providing  a  common 
understanding of the likely impact.  

Relying on a common basis of an agreed framework will also help the process to progress on a 
basis of mutual confidence between Member States. Otherwise Member States’ caution about the 
possible impact  of the situation  in  other Member States will act  as a brake on re-opening. The 
Commission invites Member States to endorse this approach and to follow up swiftly. 

A common framework can also help to give citizens confidence in the decisions taken, critically 
important  as  compliance  is  weakened  by  pandemic  fatigue  or  by  complacency  as  vaccination 
rolls out. It is also critical to work together to provide objective information and to counter the 
flood of disinformation holding back effective vaccination campaigns. 

3  SAFE RE-OPENING 

Returning safely to free movement 

For  EU  citizens  an  important  part  of  the  lifting  of  restrictions  will  be  to  again  exercise 
unrestricted  free  movement  and  other  fundamental  rights  throughout  the  EU.  With  a  sufficient 
improvement  of  the  epidemiological  situation,  a  coordinated  approach  to  free  movement  will 
give the reassurance that re-opening is not outpacing control of the virus. Citizens must also be 
able to exercise their rights with full non-discrimination. 

The  Commission  is  adopting  a  legislative  proposal  establishing  a  common  framework  for  a 
Digital  Green  Certificate  covering  vaccination,  testing  and  recovery.  This  will  put  in  place  an 
EU  level  approach  to  issuing,  verifying  and  accepting  such  certificates,  to  help  holders  to 
exercise their right to  free movement  within the EU, as well as making it easier to wind down 
COVID-19 restrictions put in place in compliance with EU law. It will allow every EU citizen 
and their family members, to  receive a secure and interoperable certificate. All  Member States 
would accept the certificate as sufficient proof where relevant in order to waive free movement 
restrictions  –  such  as  quarantine  or  testing  requirements  –  put  in  place  to  limit  the  spread  of 
COVID-19.  It  is  important  to  stress  that  people  without  such  a  certificate  must  still  be  able  to 
travel and that being in possession of a certificate is not a prerequisite of exercising the right to 
free  movement  or  other  fundamental  rights.  It  is  important  to  have  trust  in  the  certificates  to 
allow for their acceptance. The certificates could be used to ascertain whether or not people can 
travel  without  being  subject  to  temporary  limitations  which  might  be  in  place  to  reduce  the 
spread of the virus, such as testing on arrival and quarantine. The package will also cover third 
country citizens legally staying or legally residing in the EU. 

The proposal put forward today is a flexible and simple instrument, to be available in both digital 
and  paper  form.  It  will  allow  the  authorities  in  one  Member  State  to  undertake,  if  needed,  a 
quick,  secure  and  straightforward  check  of  the  certificate  issued  in  another  Member  State.  It 
would use only the minimum amount of data necessary (for example the date of vaccination and 
which vaccine was administered or the date of a COVID-19 test). To be ready for an increase in 
travel  over  the  summer,  the  proposal  needs  swift  consideration  and  adoption  by  the  European 
Parliament  and  the  Council.  For  the  immediate  future,  the  Commission  will  also  consider 
whether  it  should  propose  changes  to  the  Recommendation  on  a  coordinated  approach  to 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
restrictions on free movement4. In any event, all the exemptions for essential travel, such as those 
recommended for seasonal, transport or frontier workers, should continue to apply. The “Green 
Lanes”  principles  for  freight  transport  must  also  continue  to  be  applied  in  full  in  any 
circumstances  when  internal  border  controls  are  temporarily  reintroduced  as  a  measure  of  last 
resort. 

Implementation  of  the  Digital  Green  Certificate  legislation  also  needs  a  compatible  technical 
framework  to  be  defined  at  EU  level  and  put  in  place  by  Member  States.  This  should  ensure 
inter-operability, as well as full compliance with personal data protection. The goal should be to 
have this work complete and the system in place by the middle of June. The technical framework 
will  factor  in  global  efforts  to  ease  travel  restrictions:  interoperability  with  systems  being 
developed through the World Health Organization (WHO) should be taken into account from the 
start.  It  will  also  allow  for  the  possibility  to  extend  to  compatible  certificates  issued  in  third 
countries. The proposal on the Digital Green Certificate is flexible enough to be able to take into 
account new scientific evidence and guidance as we learn more about the effect of vaccination, 
the implications of new variants and to what extent people that have recovered from an infection 
are protected. 

The Commission is also adopting a ‘twin’ proposal to address the issuance of the Digital Green 
Certificate to  third country nationals  legally staying or residing in  Member States and who are 
entitled to travel within the EU5. If such a third country national is in possession of a certificate 
which  is  a  sufficiently  reliable  proof  of  vaccination,  or  has  been  issued  under  a  system  that  is 
interoperable  with  the  Digital  Green  Certificate  trust  framework,  this  would  facilitate  travel 
within the EU.  

An important part of re-opening will be to allow the safe travel of third country nationals to the 
EU.  Tourism  and  other  travel  from  outside  the  EU  are  an  important  feature  of  the  EU’s 
openness  and  should  target  the  same  goal  of  safe  opening  as  other  activities.  A  framework  is 
already  in  place  with  the  Recommendation  identifying  countries  whose  epidemiological 
situation  is  such  that  non-essential  travel  to  the  EU  is  possible6.  The  Council  should  remain 
attentive  to  the  evolution  of  the  situation  in  countries  outside  the  EU,  and  particularly  where 
reduced incidence of COVID-19 can be seen to have been driven down on a sustainable basis, 
for  example  by  widespread  vaccination  with  vaccines  of  demonstrated  efficacy.  Another 
important factor would be a low level of variants of concern in a third country.  

For  the  immediate  future,  the  Commission  will  keep  the  operation  of  the  Recommendation 
under close review, and propose amendments in line with developments in this area. This could 
include  amendments  to  align  the  Recommendation  to  the  Digital  Green  Certificate  and 
initiatives  taken  on  a  global  basis  by  WHO  or  the  International  Civil  Aviation  Organisation, 
which  could  in  due  course  facilitate  adaptation  of  restrictions  where  travellers  from  third 
countries are in a position to present certificates attesting to a relevant COVID-19 status issued 

4   Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475 of 13 October 2020 on a coordinated approach to the restriction of 

free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic  

5   Based on Art 77 TFEU (Schengen legal basis). 
6   Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 of 30 June 2020 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel 

into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
under a system deemed sufficiently reliable or interoperable with the Digital Green Certificate, 
once  available  in  EU  Member  States.  In  parallel,  the  Commission  is  working  closely  with 
international  organisations  including  the  Organisation  for  Economic  Co-operation  and 
Development7, the UN World Tourism Organisation8 and the G20 Tourism Working Group on 
the restart and recovery of world tourism in a sustainable manner. 

The  use  of  the  Digital  Green  Certificate  should  be  accompanied  by  clear  and  transparent 
communication  to  citizens  to  explain  its  scope,  use,  clarify  the  safeguards  to  personal  data 
protection and reassure citizens that this is a tool to help in enjoying free movement rights to the 
full.  

The guidance on testing and quarantine applied to travellers9 will be updated, to promote a more 
harmonised  and  predictable  approach  to  border  measures  that  is  more  easily  understood  by 
travelers and transport service providers. 

Testing and tracing as tools to help opening  

Successful  vaccination  alone  will  not  eradicate  the  virus.  There  will  still  be  a  need  to  monitor 
and respond to  the epidemiological  situation, so testing and contact  tracing will continue to  be 
vital tools. This will be particularly important in the phase of re-opening, to provide reassurance 
that any resurgence will quickly be identified. 

The EU has  published  guidance documents to  support the development  and implementation  of 
testing strategies across the EU and recommendations to support a common approach to the use, 
validation  and  mutual  recognition of  different  tests10.  There  are  regular  discussions  amongst 
Member States in the Health Security Committee on testing strategies and new tests entering the 
market. The Health Security Committee has also agreed a common list of rapid antigen tests for 
COVID-19 diagnosis as well as a selection of rapid antigen tests for which Member States will 
mutually recognize their results11. In addition, the Commission is now providing 20 million rapid 
antigen  tests  to  the  Member  States12.  The  accuracy  and  the  availability  of  rapid  antigen  tests 
continues  to  improve,  and  they are increasingly being used  and  are  useful  in  the  context  of 
facilitating services and safe travelling.  

Self-tests for COVID-19 (both self-swabbing and self-testing kits) are now starting to enter the 
market.  The  Commission  and  ECDC  are  reviewing  these.  ECDC  will  publish  today  technical 
guidance  on  COVID-19  self-tests,  including  details  on,  for  example,  their  availability  and 
possible  impacts  on  the  implementation  of  prevention  and  control  measures,  their  clinical 

7   http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/covid-19-international-mobility-and-trade-in-services-the-

road-to-recovery-ec716823/ 

8   https://www.unwto.org/unwto-convenes-global-tourism-crisis-committee 
9   https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/guidelines-covid-19-testing-and-quarantine-air-travellers 
10   Commission Recommendation (EU) 2020/1595 of 28 October 2020 on COVID-19 testing strategies, including 

the use of rapid antigen tests (C/2020/7502) 

11   https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/preparedness_response/docs/covid-19_rat_common-list_en.pdf 
12   On  18  December  2020,  the  Commission  signed  a  framework  contract  with  Abbott  and  Roche  allowing  the 
purchase  of  over  20  million  rapid  antigen  tests  for  up  to  €100  million,  financed  by  the  Emergency  Support 
Instrument (ESI).  

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
performance compared to the “gold standard” RT-PCR tests, their implications for reporting and 
epidemiological  surveillance,  and  the  settings  for  their  appropriate  use.  Through  the  Health 
Security Committee, the Commission is monitoring if and how countries are using or considering 
the use of rapid antigen self-tests.  

One important use of testing is to track the virus and its variants in wastewater. This can provide 
rapid  and  inexpensive  information  on  the  presence  of  a  virus  and  therefore  on  a  possible 
resurgence:  monitoring  just  6000  collection  points  allows  the  wastewaters  of  70%  of  the  EU 
population  be  tracked.  Wastewater  surveillance  can  be  used  for  preventive  or  early  warning 
purposes,  as  virus  detection  in  wastewater  is  a  sign  of  the  possible  re-emergence  of  the  virus. 
Similarly, the absence of the virus in wastewater could indicate that a given population zone can 
be  considered  at  lower  risk,  and  that  measures  put  in  place  to  curb  virus  transmission  have 
worked. It is therefore critical that Member States put in place effective wastewater surveillance 
systems ensuring that relevant data are promptly provided to competent health authorities.  

The  Commission  is  today  adopting  a  Recommendation  to  support  a  consistent  approach  to  the 
use  of  wastewater  monitoring  to  track  COVID-19  and  its  variants13.  The  Recommendation  is 
based  on  the  knowledge  and  experience  of  Member  States  and  includes  specific  guidance 
regarding  the  design  and  management  of  a  wastewater  surveillance  network  for  the  rapid 
transmission  of  data  to  health  authorities.  It  will  promote  the  use  of  common  methods  for 
sampling,  testing  and  data  analysis,  supported  by  a  European  exchange  platform.  Financial 
support will be made available to support deployment of a coherent wastewater monitoring and 
surveillance strategies and activities across the EU, and to strengthen Member States’ and partner 
countries’ capacities in the long term. 

Testing  by  itself  does  not  control  infectious  diseases.  It  must  be  followed  up  and  used 
effectively.  Tracing  has  a  key  role  in  assisting  towards  safe  opening  as  the  overall  situation 
improves,  when  the  effective  containment  of  more  isolated  outbreaks  becomes  particularly 
valuable.  By  complementing  traditional  manual  contact  tracing,  mobile  contact  tracing 
applications can help to break transmission chains and help save lives. In view of the increased 
transmissibility of variants, it is important that the parameters employed in the apps are reviewed 
and  where  necessary  adjusted,  in  coordination  with  ECDC  and  national  authorities.  The 
Commission  will  support  Member  States  to  consider  additional  features  to  strengthen  contact 
tracing  applications  and  encourage  their  uptake  and  use.  These  additional  features  could  for 
example include a dashboard displaying the latest information on the public health situation and 
on the rollout of vaccination campaigns, or notifying users of their past presence at an event or a 
venue where confirmed COVID-19 cases have been identified. 

Member States also collect data from cross-border travellers entering their territory via national 
Passenger  Locator  Forms  (‘PLF’).  Data  exchange  between  Member  States’  contact  tracing 
authorities can be particularly important when travellers are crossing borders in close proximity, 
such  as  in  airplanes  or  trains.  The  Commission  has  developed  a  platform  that  enables  the 
exchange of data between the PLF systems of the Member States.  

13 C(2021) 1925 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
In  order  for  Member  States  to  exchange  relevant  passengers’  data  through  the  exchange 
platform, the Commission will publish draft measures to ensure that by the time of the summer 
travelling season, lawful processing of personal data is set under an EU legal basis14. This will 
lay  down  the  limited  and  well-defined  data  sets  to  be  exchanged  and  the  roles  and 
responsibilities of the different users.   

For  those  Member  States  where  there  is  no  digital  PLF  system  in  place,  the  EU  Healthy 
Gateways Joint Action has developed an EU digital PLF platform as a single point of entry and 
cloud-hosting  services  allowing  the  storage  of  the  collected  PLF.  The  two  platforms  –  PLF 
exchange  platform  and  EU  digital  PLF  platform  –  are  complementary  and  interconnected 
projects.  These  tools  will  allow  faster  and  more  effective  contact  tracing  of  cross-border 
passengers. 

Continuing to manage the virus: therapeutics and medical equipment 

As therapeutic treatment has developed, it has helped to save lives, speed up recovery time, and 
reduce the length of hospitalisation – to the benefit of both patients, and hard-pressed health care 
systems.  The  Commission  is  using  a  number  of  instruments,  including  joint  procurement,  to 
secure access for Member States to the limited number of therapeutic treatments currently in use 
to treat COVID-19 cases, as well as research programmes. More and faster action is needed. A 
common  EU  strategy  on  therapeutics  is  planned  for  mid-April.  Similar  to  the  approach  used 
successfully  with  vaccines,  this  will  seek  to  speed  up  research  and  manufacturing,  so  that 
Member  States  can  have  access  to  valuable  treatments  on  the  scale  and  at  the  speed  required. 
More  flexible  regulatory  measures  for  therapeutics,  such  as  labelling  facilitations,  will  be 
deployed to enable rapid supply at large scale during the pandemic. 

Technology  can  also  be  used  in  other  ways.  Ultraviolet  disinfecting  robots  can  disinfect  a 
standard  size  patient  room  in  as  quickly  as  10  minutes  by  using  ultraviolet  light,  and  disinfect 
over  18  rooms  in  one  charge.  They  can  help  ensure  a  sterile  environment  in  hospitals  without 
exposing staff to  unnecessary risk. A €12 million programme is  under way  purchasing  at  least 
200 robots and deploying them in Member States with actual delivery of robots throughout 2021. 

Helping the most affected sectors to prepare for safe re-opening 

Some of Europe’s most dynamic sectors – tourism, culture, and transport – have been amongst 
the  hardest  hit  by  the  pandemic.  The  more  that  can  be  done  to  help  these  sectors  to  re-open 
safely,  for  workers15  and  for  the  public,  and  in  a  way  which  builds  trust  and  confidence,  the 
quicker these sectors – in which many businesses are in great jeopardy and on which many jobs 
rely – can start to recover. 

Europe’s tourism ecosystem has been heavily disrupted. In 12 Member States, tourism generates 
between  25%  and  10%  of  national  GDP,  while  four  EU  Member  States  featured  among  the 
world’s top- ten tourism destinations in 2019 in terms of international arrivals and receipts. With 

14   https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives?frontEndStage=ISC_WORKFLOW 
15   https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/COVID-19:_Back_to_the_workplace_-_Adapting_workplaces_and_protecting_workers 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
a drop of 70% in revenues during 2020 and up to 11 million jobs at risk16, tourism services are at 
the  bottom  of  the  business  confidence  indicator.  EU  overnight  stays  fell  by  52%  in  2020  and 
international tourist stays fell by 68% in 202017. Some Member State economies are also highly 
dependent  on  international  tourism  and  unable  to  compensate  for  the  loss  of  foreign  travellers 
with  domestic  tourism.  Reopening  travel  and  tourism  safely  will  bring  millions  of  Europeans 
back to their jobs, and can drive recovery faster in many EU regions18. 

Restoring travel in a safe and predictable manner requires restoring the confidence of consumers 
that  their  health  and  rights  are  protected.  The  downloadable  application  Re-open  EU  will 
continue to provide reliable information to citizens about the epidemiological situation and rules 
in  place  across  the  EU  (including  the  Digital  Green  Certificates)  with  improved  new,  user-
friendly “travel path” functionalities19. A clear, EU-wide system to give people full confidence in 
public  health  standards  can  be  a  real  step  forward  in  ensuring  clarity  to  travellers  while  also 
dispelling remaining concerns and opening the door for the coming summer season. In 2020, the 
Commission  provided  valuable  guidance  to  the  transport20  and  hospitality  sectors  to  help  it  to 
minimise risks21. The Commission has also invited the European Committee for Standardisation 
to  prepare  a  standardisation  document  as  a  basis  for  health  and  safety  protocols  for  the 
hospitality  sector,  which  will  be  available  before  summer.  This  voluntary  tool  will  help  better 
inform  and prepare tourism  businesses to  welcome people in  full safety. The Commission  will 
work with Member States and the industry to ensure the successful rollout of this ‘EU tourism 
health seal’.  

The  Commission,  Member  States  and  the  industry  should  further  cooperate  on  communication 
campaigns  aiming  at  re-building  confidence  in  safe  travelling  in  Europe  among  Europeans  but 
also travellers from third countries.  

The third step to help the tourism sector to prepare for a safe opening is to continue supporting 
businesses  on  the  ground,  especially  small  and  medium-sized  enterprises  (SMEs)  and  micro-
enterprises, to maintain COVID-safe services and adapt the tourism product to the new reality. 
Member States can mobilise support and investments for most affected sectors and regions under 
the  Coronavirus  Response  Investment  Initiative22  and  REACT  EU,  while  the  Recovery  and 
Resilience Facility and cohesion policy funds will contribute to the sustainable recovery of the 
most affected sectors. The European Regional Development Fund 2021-2027 includes a specific 
objective aiming to support economic development and social inclusion in culture and tourism. 
The  Commission  will  make  available  a  Guide  to  EU  funding  to  help  tourism  stakeholders 
identify the most relevant sources of EU funding for their projects and investments. 

16   In particular for young (13% employees under 24 years old) and female (59% employees) 
17   Source: Eurostat 
18   On  13  May  2020,  the  Commission  adopted  a  set  of  guidelines  and  recommendations  in  a  first  tourism  and 

transport package: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_20_870 

19   https://reopen.europa.eu/en 
20    C(2020) 169/02 
21   EU  Guidance  for  the  progressive  resuming  of  tourism  services  and  for  health  protocols  in  hospitality 

establishments C(2020)3251 

22   https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/stories/s/4e2z-pw8r 

8 

 
 
                                                 
Sharing  once  again  the  collective  experience  of  cultural  venues  and  events,  heritage  sites  and 
cultural tourism will be one of the most visible signs of re-opening. It will also be essential for 
the survival of a cultural and creative economy that has been particularly badly affected by the 
restrictions  imposed  to  control  the  pandemic.  This  sector  lost  around  31%  of  its  revenues  in 
2020,  with  performing  arts  (a  drop  of  90%)  and  music  (a  drop  of  76%)  being  the  most 
impacted23.  Again,  a  common  approach  and  common  indicators  will  help  decisions  to  lift 
restrictions by building confidence amongst audiences and visitors that opening is taking place 
in a responsible way. The Commission will use existing cooperation structures and networks24 
to  exchange  information  on  the  safe  re-opening  of  the  cultural  sector.  In  order  to  better 
coordinate  Member  States’  measures  for  the  safe  resumption  of  activities  in  the  cultural  and 
creative  sector,  the  Commission  will  develop  guidelines  for  sectors  in  the  field  of  music 
(festivals,  venues),  audiovisual  (film  festivals  and  markets,  cinemas,  production  sets), 
performing  arts  (festivals,  venues),  exhibition  spaces  such  as  museums  or  galleries,  libraries, 
and cultural heritage sites. 

Cultural  tourism  boosts  growth  and  creates  jobs,  with  four  in  ten  tourists  choosing  their 
destination on the basis of the cultural offer. The Commission will launch a dedicated EU social 
media campaign on sustainable cultural  tourism, aimed at  promoting EU cultural  heritage sites 
and  cultural  routes,  as  well  as  cultural  events  and  festivals.  New  initiatives  will  be  backed  up 
when conditions allow through Erasmus+ and its DiscoverEU action to promote the discovery by 
young people of Europe’s cultural heritage by rail, during and beyond the European Year of Rail. 

Building global resilience against COVID-19 

A  sustainable  path  out  of  COVID-19  inside  the  EU  depends  on  progress  at  global  level.  No 
country or region in the world will be safe from COVID-19 unless it is contained at global level, 
and  only  a  global  approach  can  bring  a  solution  to  a  global  crisis.  For  as  long  as  the  virus  is 
circulated, the human cost  will continue:  the toll on the world  has already  reached almost  120 
million confirmed cases and over 2.6 million deaths reported worldwide. Continued circulation 
also  means  continued  risk  of  resurgence  and  of  new  variants  emerging  with  the  potential  to 
breach the defences created by vaccines. The EU has both a responsibility and an interest to fulfil 
its commitment to tackle COVID-19 worldwide. 

The  EU  is  at  the  forefront  of  the  international  response.  It  has  provided  concrete  financial, 
emergency and in kind support to international partners and countries around the world. So far 
this  “Team  Europe”  approach”25  has  contributed  a  total  of  over  €40  billion  for  international 
support in the fight against COVID-19.  

As  inside  the  EU,  a  sustainable  approach  means  vaccination.  That  is  why  the  EU  has  strongly 
supported the work of COVAX in rolling out vaccines worldwide: with more than €2.2 billion 
financing,  the  EU  and  Member  States  as  “Team  Europe”  are  among  the  main  supporter  of 

23   https://www.rebuilding-europe.eu/ 
24   For example Creatives Unite – a platform for/by the cultural and creative sectors, https://creativesunite.eu/ 
25   The EU’s “Team Europe” approach is an approach drawing contributions from all EU institutions and combining 
resources mobilised by EU Member States and financial institutions, while respecting the EU competences and 
the decision-making procedures, including the voting rules, established by the EU Treaties. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
COVAX, the global initiative to ensure equitable access to vaccines, and has urged all partners to 
join in this work. The COVAX Facility has started rolling out vaccine doses and intends to share 
vaccines  with  all  low  and  middle  income  countries  in  the  first  half  of  2021.  This  should  be 
sufficient  to  vaccinate  their  entire  health  workforce  and  at  least  3%  of  their  population,  to 
increase  to  at  least  20%  before  the  end  of  the  year.  The  Humanitarian  Buffer  of  100  million 
doses, with a transparent allocation mechanism, will help ensure inclusive access for vulnerable 
populations to vaccines. 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  are  establishing  a  coordinated  European  approach  to  vaccine 
sharing  by setting  up an  EU  Vaccine Sharing Mechanism based on the principles of  fairness, 
gradual build- up, zero waste and a Team Europe approach. The aim is to further support and go 
beyond existing bilateral initiatives of Member States, and to create and scale up an EU pot fed 
in an equitable manner by a share of doses from Member States. The mechanism will start and 
build  up  gradually  as  vaccine  availabilities  improve  and  quantitative  targets  are  set.  Vaccines 
will preferably be channelled through COVAX, and can also continue to be shared directly with 
countries, with a particular focus on Western Balkans, neighbourhood and Africa. The EU will 
also continue to facilitate coordination and logistics, and co-finance the transport of vaccines via 
the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).  

In  parallel,  the  EU  and  its  Member  States,  as  Team  Europe,  will  continue  to  support 
preparedness for and the roll out of vaccination strategies at country and regional level ensuring 
collective action in partnership with regional and global actors, including humanitarian actors. In 
the longer term, it will be essential to work with partner countries  – in particular in Africa - to 
strengthen  health  systems  and  manufacturing,  including  vaccines  capacity,  diagnostics  and 
therapeutics. 

Scaling up vaccines production on a global level and their delivery to countries in need requires 
increased global collaboration between public authorities, vaccine developers and manufacturers 
to  ensure voluntary licensing for the necessary transfer of technological  know-how. The EU is 
supporting  such  efforts,  including  in  the  World  Trade  Organisation.  It  will  engage  with  other 
vaccine-producing countries actions to avoid disruptions of closely integrated supply chains. The 
EU will also  ensure that its  transparency and authorisation  scheme for exports of COVID-19 
vaccines, which provides for a number of exemptions26, is applied in a fair and equitable manner. 

Readiness to react to a resurgence in COVID-19 

The key health measures under way – vaccination, testing and tracing, and readiness for variants 
– provide a major reassurance that the reversal of progress seen at times over the past year is less 
likely.  However,  the  experience  of  loosened  restrictions  followed  by  a  resurgence  in  the  virus 
means that an important part of building confidence is the knowledge that – if there were to be 
resurgence such as through a new variant  – the EU and Member States would be ready to  act. 
The ECDC framework described above will be of particular value in helping to quickly identify 
any risk of resurgence and to highlight the most appropriate restrictions to apply. 

26   Exemptions notably include deliveries to low and middle-income countries listed in the COVAX Commitment 

list and exports of vaccines purchased and/or delivered though COVAX. 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
In  terms  of  the  health  response,  the  Commission  continues  to  support  Member  States  via  the 
Union  Civil  Protection  Mechanism.  I-its  24/7  Emergency  Response  Coordination  Centre  can, 
within hours, facilitate  and fund the deployment  of emergency medical  teams  (as in  the recent 
case  of  the  deployment  of  Romanian,  Danish  and  Belgian  doctors  and  nurses  to  Slovakia), 
critical  medical  equipment,  vaccines  (where  France  recently  shared  doses  with  Slovakia  and 
Czechia) and personal protective equipment (including from the rescEU medical stockpile). The 
Emergency Support Instrument allows for the rapid cross-border transfer of patients to ease the 
pressure on health facilities.  

Over  the  longer-term,  the  EU  must  also  put  in  place  a  stronger  framework  for  resilience  and 
preparedness  in  the  eventuality  of  future  pandemics.  This  is  already  the  objective  of  the 
proposals  for  a  European  Health  Union,  as  well  as  the  work  now  under  way  on  the  Health 
Emergency  Preparedness  and  Response  Authority.  The  ongoing  revision  of  the  Union  Civil 
Protection  Mechanism  will  also  support  this  work.  The  European  Health  Union  proposals  to 
strengthen  the  EU  health  security  framework  should  be  adopted  as  soon  as  possible.  The 
Commission will put forward a vision for resilience and preparedness in the “lessons learned” 
communication requested by the members of the European Council.  

The EU should also reflect on whether the success of other emergency steps taken over the past 
year,  such  as  the  Green  Lanes  system,  should  be  consolidated  in  a  framework  which  can  be 
activated  in  response  to  any  new  crisis.  The  upcoming  Schengen  Strategy  will  also  offer  the 
opportunity  to  put  in  place  solid  contingency  planning  and  coordination  mechanisms  for 
measures in relation to internal and external borders, taking stock of the experience of the crisis 
and the necessity to limit, to the extent possible, any possible disruption to free circulation and to 
the functioning of the Single Market.  

4  WAY FORWARD 

The  next  few  months  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  will  require  decisive  action  to  ensure  a 
sustainable and safe re-opening of our societies and economies. Coordinated action is needed at 
all  levels,  to  ensure  that  the  steps  we  take  are  as  effective  as  possible  in  driving  down  the 
incidence of the virus, supporting citizens and companies, and allowing our societies to return to 
normal.  The  Commission  invites  all  EU  institutions  and  Member  States  to  take  forward  the 
common effort: stepping up communication efforts is particularly important. 

The European Council 

- 
- 

to call for an agreed approach to a safe re-opening based on a solid scientific framework; 
to support further coordination on efforts to contain the pandemic at a global level, based on 
the Team Europe approach. 

The European Parliament and the Council 

- 
- 

to fast-track discussions and agreement on the proposals for a Digital Green Certificate; 
to  accelerate  discussions  and  reach  an  agreement  on  Health  Union  legislative  proposals 
before the end of the year. 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
The European Commission 

- 

- 

- 

to  continue  supporting  the  ramping  up  of  vaccines  production  and  timely  delivery  of 
contractual commitments;  
to  further  develop  technical  solutions  at  European  level  to  increase  interoperability  of 
nationals systems to facilitate travel, data exchange and contact tracing;  
to put forward a European strategy on therapeutics. 

Member States 

- 
- 

- 

- 

to ensure the acceleration of vaccination programmes in line with increased supply; 
to  ensure  that  temporary  restrictions  to  combat  COVID-19  are  proportionate  and  non-
discriminatory; 
to accelerate the technical implementation work on the Digital Green Certificate in view of 
the fast-track adoption of the proposal; 
to  swiftly  implement  all  recommendations  and  develop  the  necessary  infrastructure  to  use 
available tools to fight the pandemic.  

12