The European Commission is taking resolute action to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on mobility, and its impact on the transport sector. This Wednesday, an informal high-level videoconference between EU transport ministers, convened by the Croatian Presidency, saw a constructive and wide-ranging discussion covering topics such as priority lanes for freight transport and the free movement of transport workers. Ministers and the Commission agreed to work closely together to minimise traffic disruptions. Member States also agreed to designate national contact points for enhanced coordination and the Commission has set up a website giving an overview of national measures by country.

The international and European aviation industry has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. In response, the European Commission has proposed targeted legislation to temporarily alleviate airlines from the ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ rule, whereby air carriers must use at least 80% of their airport slots within a given period in order to keep the slots the following year.

The Commission has published guidelines to ensure EU passenger rights are applied in a coherent manner across the EU. The purpose of these guidelines is to reassure passengers that their rights are protected. The guidelines cover the rights of passengers when travelling by air, rail, ship, bus/coach, and inland waterways, as well as the corresponding obligations for carriers.

The Commission has also presented guidelines to Member States on health-related border management. The aim is to protect citizens' health, ensure that people who have to travel are treated correctly, and make sure essential goods and services remain available. Member States should designate priority lanes for freight transport (‘green lanes'), while transport workers, including lorry and train drivers, pilots and aircrew, must be able to move freely to ensure essential goods and essential staff can be transported.

A Commission proposal to apply full flexibility to EU State aid rules to support businesses during this unprecedented situation. The proposal has two aims – to ensure businesses have the liquidity to keep operating, or temporarily freeze their activities, and to make sure that support for businesses in on EU Member State does not undermine the unity that the EU needs.

In coordination with the Commission, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published a Safety Information Bulletin for airlines and their crews and airports on COVID-19. It shares non-legally binding recommendations (mainly from the WHO) on how to detect and manage ill passengers in aeroplanes and airports. EASA has set up a webpage, which offers convenient links to all of our latest coronavirus-related information.

For more information, check out the European Commission COVID-19 dedicated webpage, providing information on passenger rights and travel advice.

#COVID19 outbreak huge impact on our #transport systems, given the close chain of European supply chains, supported by an extensive network of freight services by lorry, plane and ship. @EU_Commission is working with EU MS to ensure the flow of essential goods across land borders.

The Commission has taken swift action to temporarily alleviate airlines from their slot usage obligations in response to #COVID19 outbreak and falling demand. Our priority is to protect the environment, and the financial health of our industry

Eurocontrol reports a 56.3% decrease in air traffic weekly variation due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in contrast to last year.