Land border controls in Spain to be lifted on June 22

International tourism could restart from same day, coinciding with end of the state of alarm

Spanish police border checkpoint at Pertús, March 17, 2020 (by Aleix Freixas)
Spanish police border checkpoint at Pertús, March 17, 2020 (by Aleix Freixas) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

June 4, 2020 01:55 PM

Spain’s tourism minister confirmed that she plans to lift the land border controls with Portugal and France on June 22.

Talking to international press on Thursday, Reyes Maroto said that the restrictions imposed on March 17 will end just over three months later, the day after the state of alarm will come to an end – no further extensions are expected.

“We will allow again French and Portuguese tourists by land, as now there is an important restriction in mobility,” she said.

Maroto expects to seal bilateral deals with both countries to set the conditions of such reopening.

She also said that “in principle” that day the 14-day obliged quarantine for anyone entering Spain will also be lifted on June 22.

Indeed on Wednesday, the tourism minister had said in congress that "safe routes," especially to the Canary and Balearic Islands, may be created before July 1, the first date announced by Sánchez.

When the state of alarm ends on June 21, mobility restrictions within Spain will also disappear, as announced by Spain’s leader, Pedro Sánchez, on Sunday.

Germany to lift tourism restrictions following Spain's decision

The latest moves by Spain come soon after Germany set June 15 as the date when traveling to EU countries will no longer be discouraged, with Spain and Norway remaining as exceptions.

Angela Merkel’s government said that it will lift its traveling restrictions to Spain once the latter begins accepting tourists again.