Germany to lift Covid-19 travel warnings 'in two stages'

Berlin prepares to remove global travel warnings starting first with 26 EU member states and then for other countries, Foreign Ministry officials tell TRT World.

Travellers and airline staff walk at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, May 20, 2020, as the spread of the coronavirus continues.
Reuters

Travellers and airline staff walk at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, May 20, 2020, as the spread of the coronavirus continues.

Germany is set to lift global travel warnings in two stages, starting with 26 European Union (EU) member states first and then moving onto other countries, the German Foreign Ministry said.

The German government is currently working, as a first step, "to find opportunities for a gradual and coordinated return to travel within the EU and the Schengen area," a Foreign Ministry spokesperson told TRT World .

The question of travel to and from other countries would be dealt with in the second stage, the official said. 

Germany will reportedly lift travel warnings for 26 EU member states and non-EU member states like the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

At least 8,526 people have died from coronavirus in the country while the virus has infected 181,770 people so far.

Cabinet to approve guidelines 

The German cabinet is expected to formally approve the relaxed travel guidelines for other EU countries next week as Europe's largest economy slowly eases restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

However, there are mixed voices within the German government over the relaxation of global travel restrictions. 

Markus Soder, state premier of Bavaria, the hardest-hit province, voiced opposition to moving too fast in reopening tourism.  

"We have in Italy, Spain and France completely different infection numbers compared to Germany. So, I ask the federal government to think very carefully about this," he said.

Under Germany's federal system, individual states can decide which measures to enforce.

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