EU eyes revamp of ID check-free zone to improve travel flow

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union unveiled plans Wednesday to revamp Europe’s ID check-free travel area after national coronavirus restrictions placed new strains on tourism, travel and business throughout the bloc over the last year.

The travel zone, known as the “Schengen area,” is made up of 26 countries: 22 EU nations plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Normally, people and goods move freely between these countries without border checks.

Panicked by Italy’s coronavirus outbreak in February last year, some Schengen countries imposed border restrictions without consulting their neighbors to try to keep the disease out. The moves caused massive traffic jams and blocked key medical equipment from getting across borders. Nineteen countries put border restrictions in place.

Free movement is a pillar of European integration. It helps businesses flourish and many officials worry that the future of the Schengen area is under threat from virus travel restrictions. Those measures have added to border pressures already caused by the arrival in Europe of well over 1 million migrants in 2015.

The new strategy aims to beef up Europe’s external borders, through the Frontex border agency and a state-of-the-art digitalized entry and exit system to keep an eye on who enters or leaves. Cooperation between police and national security agencies and improved visa policies are also foreseen.

The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, said its proposals involve an improved system of monitoring to help restore trust between member countries. Brussels argues that countries would be less inclined to put restrictions in place if they’re confident their neighbors are acting properly.

“Terrorism will not end. We will have new pandemics probably, we will have other...