Greek proposal to reboot tourism calls for testing in countries of origin

Greece says travellers should be tested for coronavirus or for antibodies in the country of origin at most 72 hours before setting off on their holiday to avoid overcrowding in entry points, as part of its proposal to restart the battered tourism sector in the European Union.

At the same time, it said tests could be sidelined for travel between regions and member-states which have "demonstrated clear and persistent evidence" that the Covid-19 pandemic is under control.

"Whilst containing the pandemic remains the priority, health measures should be implemented in a way that minimize unnecessary impact on cross-border travel," says the government's non-paper sent to the European Commission.

Greece says tourism flows need to restart in a manner that "ensures fair treatment" of all member-states to avoid any "nationality bias" in travel protocols.