With almost 2,5 million deaths caused by the Coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, millions of others infected and recovered, economies devastated, travel put at a halt, and borders closed all across the world, going back to pre-pandemic normality now seems like a faraway reality.

Just as the rest of the world, the pandemic has affected the continent of Europe, with some of the EU Members as France and Germany, being listed among the world top countries with most cases marked so far.

Travelling and travellers have been hit hard by the COVID-19 rules imposed in the EU countries in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. Foreign travellers have been banned from entering, except for essential purposes, as well as for the residents of a very limited number of countries, considered as epidemiologically safe.

Currently, some EU countries have entry bans in place even for other EU countries, in particular, if the new virus strains have outspread there.

Travellers eligible to roam throughout Europe at this point may seem like some very lucky people. Yet, even for them, a small mistake, a moment of carelessness may cost them thousands, as countries throughout Europe have imposed penalties for those breaching COVID-19 regulations, including travellers.

Germany Fines Up to €5,000 Those Breaching COVID-19 Restrictions

Germany, known for its high number of cases, low number of deaths, the high number of recovered persons, and a very low number of active cases compared to neighbouring countries, has quite some harsh penalties in place.

Firstly, in the State of Berlin, those who fail to keep the minimum distance of 1.5 meters, and are spotted by the relevant authorities like police, will be fined between €100 and €500, depending on the situation.

Going in public without covering mouth and nose with mas or other covering many cost one between €50 and €500.

The authorities are set to harshly fine those who fail to quarantine according to the rules, as those who go out when they are supposed to be isolated will be quarantined up to €5000. Up to the same amount will be fined those who receive visitors while in isolation.

While the fines often vary from one federal state to another, they are quite high in any of them.

Switzerland’s Penalties for Quarantine Breach Up to CHF 10,000

Switzerland harshest penalties may of up to CHF10,000 for those who do not comply with their quarantine obligation, while there are milder penalties for anyone who fails to comply with the restrictions as wearing face masks and keeping the distance.

“Anyone contravening the measures to fight the epidemic is committing an offence; persons who fail to comply with the rules may be fined between 50 and 200 francs, depending on the offence,” the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) explains.

It also points out that anyone who does not wear a mask on public transport, in stations, at a bus or tram stop or in immediately outside publicly accessible buildings may be fined CHF100.

People gathering in public places in groups of more than five will be fined CHF50, while those participating in an illegally organised event CHF100.

While measures in Switzerland often change according to the situation, the police in the canton of Zurich imposed around 100 fines in the first week of February. In the canton of Bern, on the other side, were imposed 34 fines, and another 106 in Vaud.

Austria to Fine Repeated Offenders Up to €500

Austria also has in place fines for those breaching COVID-19 rules, including for travellers coming from outside its territory.

Those who do not respect the rule to keep a distance of one metre with other persons are fined €100, while those who do not wear face coverings for their mouth and nose are fined €50.

Repeat offenders can be fined up to €500.

Though its penalties seem mild in comparison to other countries, Austria is actually quite ‘unforgiving’ with those breaching the COVID-19 rules. Back at the end of January this year, Austrian police had found 96 tourists from across Europe at a ski resort in breach of pandemic-related rules on entering the country and the national lockdown.

Among them were Danes, Swedes, Romanians, Germans, Australians, Irish people and Poles, and each of them has been fined up to €2,180.

In November last year, on the other hand, another person has been jailed for seven months after the same travelled through several Austrian states despite a positive coronavirus infection and an obligation to quarantine.

Other countries also impose fines and other penalties for everyone, including for travellers, for breaches as failing to wear a mask or keeping the distance, to violations as visiting places that are banned for travellers, gathering in groups, breaching night curfew, etc.

Penalties for Arrivals that Fail to Comply With Testing and Registration Requirements

In France, for example, travellers who do not present a travel certificate according to their case, which is available at the website of the French Ministry of the Interior, may be liable for a € 135 fine.

Some other countries, which have imposed for travellers an obligatory requirement of presenting negative COVID-19 test results upon arrival in their territory, fine those who do not meet this requirement.

Belgium is among those countries, which lists the absence of COVID-19 test results as an offence is punishable by a fine of €250.

Portugal also has a similar system in place, only that it also fines airlines transporting passengers without a test. The country fines anyone arriving in the country from non- European Union/non-Schengen zone countries who don’t carry a negative RT-PCR test, not older than 72 hours between €500 to €2,000 while airlines transporting passengers without a test risk to be fined up to €3,000.