OREANDA-NEWS. The decline in air travel due to the coronavirus-induced border closures has led to the loss of about 7 million jobs in the European Union. This was told by the head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Portugal, Luis Miguel Ribeiro, writes «Lusa».

According to him, the restoration of the air transport industry will take longer than previously expected. «In Europe, the social impact of the decline in air transport has been particularly severe, resulting in the loss of about 7 million jobs», he said.

Ribeiro noted that, despite this, it is necessary to continue to respond in a coordinated and consistent manner to the spread of COVID-19.

The European Commission has proposed to lift restrictions on entry to the European Union for residents of non-member countries who will prove the availability of both necessary vaccinations against COVID-19 with a drug, that was previously approved in the EU. The agency in Brussels also proposes to lift restrictions for residents of countries with a «good epidemiological situation», it said in a statement.