Vaccinated visitors may soon be able to travel freely to Europe according to a statement from the president of the European Commission on the weekend, with hopes that the conditions to do so may be in place by summer.

In an interview published in The New York Times on Sunday, Ursula von der Leyen said that fully vaccinated Americans would be able to visit EU countries this summer since all coronavirus vaccines currently used in the US have also been approved by the EU’s drug regulator.

But she added, “One thing is clear: All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by EMA… This will enable free movement and travel to the European Union.”

European Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz told reporters that the EU’s executive body is hoping to restore nonessential trans-Atlantic travel “as soon as it is safe to do so” – a move that will come more than a year after the EU restricted travel to the region to a bare minimum in a bid to contain the pandemic.

It wasn’t immediately clear if only full vaccination would be accepted for entry, or whether a negative PCR test or proof of recent recovery from COVID-19 could be presented as well, though French President Emmanuel Macron recently said he foresees at least some tourists returning to Paris this summer if they have gotten vaccinated or have proof of testing negative for the coronavirus as France moves to progressively lift infection-control restrictions.

The EU sentiment was quickly welcomed by IATA, with the air transport association’s director general Wille Walsh stating: “This is a step in the right direction. It gives hope to people for so many reasons – to travel, to reunite with loved ones, to develop business opportunities, or to get back to work.”

Walsh said that fulfilling the details of the EC’s intentions is “essential,” including ensuring that the measures “enable unconditional travel for those vaccinated, not just from the US but from all countries using vaccines that are approved by the European Medicines Association.”

He also added that it will be equally critical to have clear, simple, and secure digital processes for vaccination certificates, and that the presentation of negative COVID-19 test results, including antigen tests, should also be accepted to facilitate travel.

“The freedom to travel must not be restricted to only those who have access to vaccinations. Vaccines are not the only way to safely re-open borders. Government risk-models should also include COVID-19 testing,” he said.

The EU’s Jahnz insisted that the return of American tourists to EU nations will be conditioned on the epidemiological situation in both the US and within the bloc.

The European Union is putting the finishing touches to a system of certificates that would allow EU residents to travel freely across the region by the summer as long as they have been vaccinated, tested negative for COVID-19, or recovered from the disease. Under the plan discussed with their US counterparts, American tourists could be included in the program.

But EU member states will have the final say on whether to implement the guidelines.

The commission also said other third countries have made similar requests but didn’t name them. Currently travel to the EU is currently extremely limited except for a handful of countries with low infection rates, including Australia and New Zealand.

However, Greece, which is heavily reliant on tourism, has already lifted quarantine restrictions for the US, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Israel, and non-EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Travellers from those countries will no longer be subject to a seven-day quarantine requirement if they hold a vaccination certificate or negative PCR test.

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