Finland may be the next EU country to open its borders to all travellers in Europe and beyond.
The country is about to introduce mandatory testing regulations in October, which means that all tourists, even those from high-risk countries, will be welcome.
According to public broadcaster YLE, Finland will “soon ease travel restrictions” and “implement a test-based program. “”It will soon be imaginable to travel to Finland from more countries, but mandatory coronavirus tests are likely to be introduced. “The Report.
The new regulations will be for both foreigners and foreign nationals.
“The Finnish government on Thursday will reduce its restrictions on cross-border travel,” the Helsinki Times reports.
The regulations will come into effect on September 14, he said, but everyone will be welcome from the start.
For Finns or foreigners arriving from countries with 25 cases or less consistent with 100,000 inhabitants in the last fortnight, this means that there is no mandatory quarantine.
So far, quarantine has been required in places with 8 or more cases consisting of 100,000 inhabitants. The government has also opposed everything that is still essential for these countries. In fact, anywhere with a Covid occurrence other than your . . . lately at 8. 5 consistent with 100,000.
This has excluded tourism even for many low-risk European neighbours, as well as for high-risk red areas.
Finland is expected to increase this threshold of Covid infection until October to allow visits even from high-risk countries.
This plan is based on the advent of new laws, to comply with a “test access model,” the Helsinki Times reports.
For travelers from countries with Covid infection rates of more than 25 consistent with 100,000 inhabitants, a negative result will be required upon arrival.
According to Reuters, travelers must remain remote until they produce a negative test at a time.
According to the ECDC, the United States averages more than 120 cases in line with 100,000, above the Finnish and European criteria.
The EU encourages its members to open borders to countries with no more than 25 to 50 coronavirus consisting of 100,000 inhabitants.
For “red zones” above this level, he says, member countries propose quarantine. And that turns out to be precisely what Finland has in mind.
Finland’s Transport Minister Timo Harakka said an invoice will make it mandatory to perform a negative crown check for passengers from places in the 25 cases / 100,000 incidents.
Most Baltic and Nordic countries are exempt from the rule.
Economy Minister Mika Lintil announced this step as good news for leisure and business and for the tourism industry before the winter season.
“I’m sorry it took so long, but more late than ever, ” he said. “Finnair will now return to the competitive market where it is with its European competitors. “
However, some tour operators are very excited.
“Plane ticket 190, check Covid 210,” tweeted Lapland SantaPark businessman Ilkka Lonkinen, who fears the prohibitive charge is winter tourism.
Many, in addition to the Finnish government, believe that Covid’s evidence is the only thing that will make the border imaginable to be completely reopened.
“The goal is to make tourism in Finland imaginable and safe for health,” Harakka said.
Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo said internal controls at Schengen borders would remain until the legislation was enacted.
In the midst of a retracement of the European Covid in the following month, some wonder whether borders have opened too quickly.
Croatia, an EU member who is not yet a Member of Schengen, has officially welcomed US citizens and others since the beginning of July. Test needs are higher as the crown instances soared. Malta was the first EU-Schengen member to open up to all in August.
It remains to be noted how many make the decision to take the Finnish leadership, in order to resurrect part of the winter tourism season as well, after suffering a half-regime Covid summer.
I have 3 decades of experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and writer-photographer, working for print, virtual and radio media on 4 continents,
I have 3 decades of experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and travel writer-photographer. I work for print, virtual and radio media on 4 continents, I am also an experienced hotel journalist and writer of travel guides and cultural histories in Australia, France. , Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Borneo. Very on the road between my bases in Paris and Australia, I write for Forbes with a globetrotting attitude and a topicality in travel, culture, hospitality, art and architecture. My hobby is to capture the unique people, situations and occasions I encounter along the way, whether in words or images. I have a degree in professional writing from the University of Canberra, a master’s degree in European journalism from Robert Schuman University in Strasbourg and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers: Love for My Wild Local Island of Tasmania fuels my commitment to sustainable travel and conservation.