Entering Italy with no swab. The Ticino government does not approve.

The opportunity to move freely across the border does not meet with full approval. The go-ahead decided on Wednesday by the Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza has made many Ticinese happy who were looking forward to crossing the border without the obligation to undergo the swab. And at the same time, it has allowed retailers in the border areas to breathe a sigh of relief, after one year without Swiss customers. All is well, then? Not really. The decision by Rome, in fact, upsets the State Council of Ticino. «The matter has been discussed in Government, as it raises some questions about its timing,« Francesco Quattrini, cantonal delegate for external relations, confirmed to us. «In less than a month, the EU pass will be introduced, which will enable uniform rules for travel between countries. However, Italy has again decided to move in advance and in a unilateral way». The State Council, after internal discussions, has decided that it will raise the issue on Monday, on the occasion of the meeting scheduled in Bern with Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and the Ticino deputation to the Federal Chambers.

Letters to Bern

The Canton, during the second wave of the pandemic, repeatedly asked the Confederation to improve the coordination of measures on both sides of the border. In several letters sent to Bern, the government had asked to intercede with the Italian authorities to coordinate the introduction or relaxation of measures to deal with the pandemic. «Instead, in the last three months, the measures in Ticino and Lombardy have always been lacking in uniformity. When Lombardy passed into the yellow zone, restrictions in the field of catering were still in force,« says Quattrini. But the Executive’s appeals have so far gone ignored. «And once again, we are confronted with a decision taken by Italy, but which also affects us», continued the delegate for external relations.

Who is excluded

This is not only a problem of «one-sidedness». In Bellinzona’s opinion, the measure signed by Minister Speranza «also has discriminatory elements». This is because «those who live more than 60 kilometers from the border are excluded from this measure. And perhaps they would have compelling reasons to cross the border, such as the care of a parent in need of assistance». Not only that. The regulation is rather complicated: «60 kilometers from home are regarded, yes, but it is not specified if they are to be considered as the crow flies or on the road network. Furthermore, with the new ordinance the Ticinese are relieved from the buffer, it is true, but the obligation to fill in an electronic tracking form, the so-called digital Passenger Locator Forms, is still in force. In short, it’s far from a total green light, and I don’t know how many have fully understood it»,

Without test, but with form

The new order, which is expected to be valid until July 30, establishes that Swiss citizens who live within 60 kilometers from the border can travel to Italy without a swab for a maximum of 24 hours. The same applies to Italians, who will be able to cross the Swiss border in the same way, and, as the ordinance states, to all people living within 60 kilometers, irrespective of their nationality. Be careful, however, because from May 24 it is mandatory to fill out an electronic tracking form, necessary for «anyone entering Italy from abroad for any length of time, on any means of transport». The digital document replaces the self-certification paper, which can still be used «in exceptional cases, or only in case of technological impediments. The form is expected to be progressively adopted by other European countries, but at the moment Italy is the first and only country to use it. The instructions for completing the form can be found on the website of the Ministry of Health.