EU tourism ministers met via video-conference on Monday to discuss the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism sector, and to agree on coordinated measures to ensure undisturbed movement between member states and possible support to the sector through EU funds.

“It is our wish above all to emphasise the need to ensure free movement for all EU citizens within the EU and Schengen Area in order to ensure the continuation of economic activities and tourism itself. It is exceptionally important for Croatia that a map of high-risk areas for individual countries be prepared at the EU level according to regions as the epidemiological situation varies within each country and between counties,” Croatia’s Tourism Minister Nikolina Brnjac said during the conference.

Today’s videoconference was held as part of Germany’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.

There was also talk about possible support for the tourism sector through the absorption of EU funds in order to ensure the sector’s speedy recovery in which jobs are threatened throughout Europe, which is something Minister Brnjac pointed out.

“We have to consider the long term consequences of the crisis on tourism and explore connections with the green and digital transition so that we can build a stronger, more tenable and resilient tourism economy. Croatia firmly supports measures that will reduce the effects of the Covid-19 crisis, particularly those directed to keeping jobs in the tourism sector and those related to the sector’s future resilience. Having that in mind, we welcome the possibility of support for the sector through the new mutliannual financial framework and the EU Next Generation programme,” Minister Brnjac underlined.