TO SCHENGEN OR NOT TO SCHENGEN: that is the question

We are facing the strongest involution in freedom of movement in Schengen Area due to Covid19 crisis. This lack of mobility is the cause of very clear obstacles for re-establishing former existing airlinks, for generating business for our economy (Business travel has reduced by 95% in Schengen area) and for trying to survive in tourism industry, thanks to local European tourists.

For those who are not familiar with Schengen Area, this is an area of 26 European countries that decided to abolish all passport and other types of border control. The area works as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy for non-Schengen citizens. Amongst these 26 countries, you may find both EU and non-members. Not all the EU is part of the Schengen Area. Countries like Norway, Island or Switzerland are non-EU states and are part of Schengen Area. This area is named after the place where this agreement was signed in Luxembourg. Schengen area population reaches almost 400 million European citizens, and approximately 2 million people commute to work every single day across an internal border. In terms of trade, the Schengen area has eased inner-European goods importation and exportation. We are talking about approximately €3.2 trillion each year. This is the importance of Schengen Area.

By imposing so many travel restrictions in such area, a quick recovery in European economy will be difficult and it may cost thousands of jobs, companies insolvency and a “stand-by” mode that is only deteriorating so many industries. I really have to admire the quick response of IATA airlines by proposing a technological “health Passport” to travel around as soon as possible. But it seems European politicians are not ready to listen to what the travel industry has to say. When I listened to Mr. Spohr’s interview (CEO of Lufthansa), I admired his clear position on European politicians immobilism in terms of having a unified Health and travel policy, at least for Schengen Area. Why are we in Schengen if we are not able to put in place a common strategy to fight against this pandemic? Why our freedom of mobility has to be affected when we are living in a “free” geographical area? And why are not following in Europe what other countries are doing in terms of massive vaccination protocol or using artificial intelligence to have spikes under control?

A few weeks ago, I read on the media about Emirates and Singapore Airlines: their staff will be vaccinated as soon as possible and, in the case of UAE, most of frontline tourism staff will receive the vaccine in the next weeks. Israel has organised a perfect system to vaccinate 150,000 people every day and, hopefully, having the every Israeli citizen vaccinated by the end of February 2021. So, where are we struggling in Europe? What are we doing wrong for not being on track to have the majority of the population vaccinated by the end of June 2021?

It seems that there is a huge ocean between European politicians and the fellow citizens.

First of all, the risk of getting infected by Covid19 is everywhere, so we shouldn’t be going to have food shopping, going to vote during elections or getting the bus from home to work twice daily: so, why selecting only some businesses to be affected by coronavirus restrictions? I haven’t used the underground from March 2020 but I will be feeling safer by flying, as commercial aircrafts are equipped with the most technological HEPA air filters (or similar devices) where it is almost impossible to get a flu. Travelling cannot be considered a threat.

Why limiting a car trip of a family going to the countryside house, when they are travelling door to door and not exposing anybody else to a potential virus contagion?

It is clearly demonstrated that during Christmas holidays, the cause of Covid19 contagion and spread was not due to mobility and travelling: it was due to social interaction without following basic instructions provided by authorities: distance, face mask and wash your hands. I personally know a friend of mine who celebrated Christmas with her elderly parents: she had a PCR test done just on 23rd December to be safer and avoid any risk. This is what people should do... and it is not travelling the problem.

The real issue here is that the mobility is the key to future and our politicians do not see tourism as an industry: probably they are not aware about Business Travel, MICE, etc.

The first mistake of our European politicians is to be Eurocentric: what does Europe is perfect and that’s it. Many Asian countries managed to control Covid19 with artificial intelligence and massive antigens testing: spikes were detected and tackled. In Europe, we did not have this organisation and infection went from spikes to social spreading, without tracking the original spike and location. There is a bad management of this crisis but we can’t blame mobility for it.

PCRs tests are now compulsory to enter France also by train or by car. In France these tests are free of charge or reimbursed from the State. In the majority of Schengen countries, these tests cost an average of 150€ and in many cases cannot be done immediately, due to its high demand. If this pandemic is so difficult to control, why not promoting FREE testing for the entire population, handled by the Public Health Service and not by private labs? Some French friends of mine have just been to Andorra, a tiny independent state in the Pyrenees not member of the EU and not in Schengen Area. The Andorran-French border is open and, once in Andorra, the hotel organised a PCR test for them all the day before checking out and they did not have to pay anything, as Andorran authorities took care of it. Can we do the same thing in Schengen? I think that where there is a will, there is a way.

Tests should be free of charge: people will be motivated to have a PCR test more frequently, if they did not have to spend this ridiculous amount of money, especially during difficult financial times for so many families.

Travelling cannot be considered a crime. Mobility cannot be framed as dangerous. Freedom of movement is a basic right. We need to start from this. Prohibiting is going nowhere. Let’s start building a new effective way to fight against COVID19.

So… to Schengen or not to Schengen? That it question.