Travel to Europe will be allowed again starting July 1

The European Union plans a “gradual and partial” easing of a ban on most travel to the bloc as of July 1, a top official said.

A curb on non-essential travel to the EU is due to lapse on June 15 after being introduced in mid-March for 30 days and extended twice as Europe stepped up the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, plans to make a recommendation to the bloc’s national governments as soon as Thursday on another prolongation.

A proposed easing of the restriction as of next month will take “into account a number of principles and criteria” and be “based on a common, coordinated approach by member states,” EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters on Wednesday in Brussels.

Europe is seeking to balance competing desires to revive domestic economies as the summer tourist season gets underway and to guard against a second wave of infections.

The commission has urged internal EU borders to be reopened before external ones and picked up support for this position from the bloc’s national governments.