The European Commission said that the EU is to gradually open up their borders as well as draw up a safe countries list for the benefit of those outside the restricted zones.
While talking about this, EU commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said that the countries were to be classified bases on the following criteria: countries should have COVID-19 under at least as much control as the EU average, have containment measures during travel and also be willing to let in EU visitors. She added that decisions on borders were for individual countries to take but she hoped the Commission could help ensure a coordinated approach, something she believed member states themselves also wanted.
As per this proposal, travellers would be allowed based on their place of residence, not nationality, and they would not have to go into quarantine on arrival. So far, the western Balkans countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia have been added to the list. Further updates are due on this matter.
The proposal also included the lifting of controls in countries around the Schengen region, along with an extension of ban on external visitors coming for non essential purposes, from June 15. But, countries like Portugal and Spain have indicated they will not be doing so.