BRUSSELS — A yearlong ban on all however essentially the most important journey from the United States to the European Union could also be lifted quickly, simply in time for summer season trip.

In an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, mentioned she would put ahead a coverage proposal for the union’s 27 member states to settle for guests who’ve acquired E.U.-approved vaccines, paving the best way for a reopening of journey.

“The Americans, as far as I can see, use European Medicines Agency-approved vaccines,” Ms. von der Leyen mentioned. “This will enable free movement and the travel to the European Union.”

But many questions stay. Here is what to know.

When will journey start and can all E.U. international locations allow guests?

While Ms. von der Leyen’s feedback signaled a serious shift from the present coverage, the main points of precisely how and when the restart of journey would start are nonetheless being labored out.

In her preliminary feedback, Ms. von der Leyen didn’t supply a timeline or supply particulars on how tourism can be enabled. But her public feedback counsel that the European Commission will formally suggest the change in journey coverage quickly.

When requested concerning the shift throughout a Monday briefing, Eric Mamer, the fee’s spokesman, mentioned that there have been nonetheless unanswered questions.

“It is clear this is a policy direction. Many factual questions will need to be answered, but it’s important to set the horizon toward an objective,” he mentioned.

Countries like Spain, Italy, Portugal and Croatia, the place tourism is the lifeblood of the financial system and tens of millions of American vacationers usually go to every summer season, are doubtless to bounce on the alternative to reopen.

Greece has already made such a transfer, declaring final week it might start welcoming vacationers from the United States with a adverse coronavirus take a look at or a vaccination certificates, beginning Monday.

Individual member states may additionally reserve the appropriate to hold stricter limits in place. Some may not allow residents from outdoors the bloc to go to in any respect or might select to implement restrictions like quarantines.

When Brussels would possibly change the coverage pointers for the bloc as a complete stays unclear and can rely not solely on the tempo of vaccinations in Europe and America however the broader pandemic state of affairs.

What will vacationers want to do?

Ms. von der Leyen’s feedback made it clear that the eligibility of tourists from the United States can be linked to the usage of accredited vaccines and the virus state of affairs within the nation, so the belief is that some type of a so-called “vaccine passport” may very well be used.

The practicality of issuing vaccine certificates which can be broadly readable in every nation within the bloc, and launching the know-how to try this, might pose a problem.

U.S. and E.U. officers have already spent weeks in discussions on how precisely this system would work, each technically and logistically, and people discussions are persevering with, officers in Brussels mentioned.

But within the interim, it’s potential {that a} low-tech answer may very well be used earlier than a broader program is launched to allow folks to journey freely on the idea of vaccination. For instance, an grownup traveler to Europe might get an equal to an E.U. vaccine certificates on arrival, after displaying a bona fide certificates issued by his or her personal authorities.

The hope, officers mentioned, is that this step would quickly be pointless as vaccine certificates issued by international governments can be acceptable and readable within the European Union, and vice versa.

Questions have already begun about whether or not youngsters touring to the bloc would wish to be vaccinated. Children within the United States and Europe will not be at the moment being vaccinated for the coronavirus.

Since E.U. authorities would doubtless attempt to write any journey coverage in a manner that was reciprocal, it appears unlikely youngsters touring into Europe would have to present proof of vaccination.

Will folks from outdoors the U.S. be allowed to journey to the E.U. this summer season?

So far, the bloc’s leaders have solely weighed in publicly on the circumstances for vacationers from the United States, and haven’t talked about another international locations that would profit from such a reopening.

The European Commission, responding to questions concerning the interview Monday throughout a information briefing, did say {that a} mutual settlement on how to acknowledge vaccine certificates, the usage of vaccines accredited by the European Medicines Agency and a constructive virus state of affairs in each the European Union and the nation of curiosity can be required to take that step.

It additionally mentioned that it was not but engaged in discussions with the British authorities a few related association.

Are vaccine passports already a requirement for journey inside Europe?

No. While the European Union has already taken tentative steps towards rolling out a “Digital Green Certificate” to allow protected journey inside the bloc for European residents, the usage of such a system continues to be months away.

The European Commission issued recommendations on the measures last month, in an try to standardize the documentation wanted by vacationers inside the E.U. So far, vacationers have been requested to present numerous paperwork together with medical certificates, take a look at outcomes, and declarations forward of journey, making it laborious to transfer round inside the bloc.

The proposed certificates would offer digital proof that an individual has been vaccinated in opposition to the coronavirus, has acquired a adverse take a look at consequence, or has recovered from the virus.

The initiative got here after a push by tourism-dependent members of the European Union to salvage the summer season journey season.

Matina Stevis-Gridneff reported from Brussels and Megan Specia from London.