Germany set to lift travel warning for Europe on Wednesday

BERLIN: Germany is preparing to lift travel warnings to European nations, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Tuesday, as the continent looks to further ease restrictions put in place to halt transmission of the coronavirus.

"We are preparing a resolution for the cabinet tomorrow, which is currently still being voted on within the government," Maas told a press conference on Tuesday June 2nd. 

The worldwide travel warning, which was introduced in March to stall the spread of coronavirus, will still apply.

But for countries in the EU and associated states, the warning looks set to be replaced with detailed travel advice on the situation in individual countries.

This would help residents in German decide where they could plan their holidays and in which regions they should avoid, Maas said.

The government will make a decision on countries beyond Europe at a later date.

The German government had said last week it planned to lift the travel warning for tourists on June 15th. However, now it appears the date has been pulled forward. 

In addition to Germany's 26 partner countries in the European Union, other countries where people in Germany would be able to travel to include the UK, and the four states of the border-free Schengen area, which are not members of the EU: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Germany had issued the worldwide travel warning on March 17th – a step that is unprecedented to date – and extended it on April 29th until June 15th.

But with new infections sharply down, the government had signalled that it aimed to lift the warning and replace it with guidance.

Europe's biggest economy brought home 240,000 stranded tourists in the first weeks of the pandemic as countries imposed travel restrictions and slammed their borders shut.

The EU set out plans in May for a phased restart of travel this summer, with EU border controls eventually lifted and measures to minimise the risks of infection, like wearing face masks on shared transport.

We aim to give you the most up-to-date information but please be aware that the situation is constantly changing. Check the German Foreign Office website for more details.