The Prime Minister has advanced this measure, which was scheduled for July 1st
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced this Sunday to the regional presidents that the opening of borders with the countries of the Schengen area is advanced to June 21st, except Portugal, which has requested July 1st.
From June 21st, the quarantine obligation for travellers from countries in the Schengen area will be removed.
There will be three requirements: the epidemiological situation must be inline or better than that of the EU sanitary conditions which must be met at origin, en route and at the destination; and there will have to be reciprocity, that is, these countries must also accept passengers from the European Union.
"We want tourism and health security to go hand in hand. Tourism, yes; exchange, yes; openness, yes. Security and health, too," Sánchez stressed.
The Schengen area guarantees the possibility of unrestricted travel through the territory of 26 European countries where more than 400 million citizens reside without internal border controls.
This space of 26 countries (of which 22 are member states of the EU) is made up of the following: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Initially, the Government had opted to keep the borders closed until July 1st an option chosen by Portugal - but the European Commission recommended opening those of the Schengen area on Monday, June 15th, and several countries have already partially lifted their internal border controls. .
Sánchez explained that on July 1st there will be a state opening on the border with Portugal, which he will attend together with King Felipe and the Prime Minister and President of the neighbouring country.
This will reopen the Portuguese-Spanish border, which borders the autonomous communities of Castilla y León, Galicia, Extremadura and Andalusia, the largest in Europe and which has been closed since March 17 due to the expansion of the coronavirus.
The first experiment of opening to the foreigner begins nevertheless this Monday, in the Balearic Islands, a "pilot" project, stressed the Prime Minister, which will involve the arrival in the archipelago in the next two weeks of 10,900 German tourists.
A "critical" moment
This experience will allow us to verify the security measures that will be applied in this tourist season and to learn for the coming months, said Sánchez, who described the opening of the borders as a "critical" moment.
"We want our country, which is already recognized as a quality tourist destination, should also be recognized as a tourist security destination. Of street safety and health security," he stressed.
The announcement of the early opening of borders has been well received by the main tourist regions, but it also raises concern and the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has asked the Government for a specific plan for the Barajas airport, so that do not become a gateway to the coronavirus.
Sánchez has asked that the Ministry and the Ministry of Health of Madrid will talk about reinforcing the foreign health services, which have been very "weakened" in recent years.
Tourism promotion plan
Sánchez has announced that the Executive will present next Thursday a tourism promotion plan designed with the representatives of the sector and with the coordination of the autonomous communities.
At a press conference at the end of the video conference with the regional presidents, Sánchez pointed out that the recovery of tourism is "a priority" for the Government and has guaranteed that the development of tourism will help to consolidate the territories at risk of depopulation and improve conditions of employment, reducing precariousness.
"Spain is not just any country when it comes to tourism, neither in quantity nor in quality," Sánchez said, while recalling that it is the second country in the world in number of visitors and tourist spending.
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