Following the disarray caused by the chaotic re-establishment of controls at the EU's internal borders, the European Commission will attempt, in a communication on Wednesday 13 May, to accompany Member States in the phased lifting of these measures.
A step eagerly awaited by some governments, such as Luxembourg, which is asking Germany to lift its controls, or by some MEPs, such as Roberta Metsola or Andreas Schwab of the EPP, who are worried about the consequences of these restrictions on the economy and citizens. The two MEPs wrote to Ursula von der Leyen on 8 May (https://bit.ly/2Wki1O0 ).
This communication on the theme of “a phased and coordinated lifting of controls and the restoration of free movement” will be presented as part of a package which also includes measures for the tourism sector. (see EUROPE 12483/5). It should confirm the criteria to be followed in order to gradually return to normal.
These criteria have been identified with Member States at previous meetings. They will therefore, not surprisingly, be invited to proceed first to partial lifting of restrictions in certain border zones/regions and then, when the health situation at EU level allows, to abolish all restrictions on intra-EU travel, as stipulated in a provisional draft Communication seen by EUROPE.
The Member States will have to look at three criteria for gradually opening their borders: - firstly, the epidemiological situation, ensuring that the positive trend is the same on both sides (sustainable decrease in the number of new infections, capacity of the health system to manage these cases, testing capacity); - secondly, they will have to guarantee that barrier gestures and specific measures, such as social distancing, are implemented on both sides, with, for example, the separation of passengers in transport, the wearing of masks, the existence of tracing applications; lastly, they will have to look at the social and economic situation that may justify this gradual lifting and thus take into account the motivations for travel, such as the economic imperative, the situation of frontier workers or important family reasons.
Return to normal as soon as possible
In the current phase of restrictions, the first one in this case, it will be necessary to focus on frontier and seasonal workers and do everything possible to ensure that they can get to their place of work; the same goes for workers in 'transit'. In addition, more targeted measures to limit the impact of controls would also be welcome.
Secondly, in the phase of gradual lifting of restrictions in certain border areas, if it is not possible to open up traffic completely, it will be necessary to ensure that controls are not systematic.
Finally, the last phase will be the lifting of controls throughout Schengen. When the health situation is satisfactory throughout the EU, travel can resume without restrictions, but always with good hygiene or distancing practices in transports.
The Member States which will decide each stage, will have to inform their neighbours. The Commission is being careful not to impose a timetable on them, but says it would like to see a return to normality as soon as possible.
It does not want, a priori, to create new coordination structures: the dialogue will be strengthened within the IPCR (Integrated political crisis response) mechanism or the Covid-19 group, which brings together the "Home Affairs" experts.
For now, this communication does not mention the famous idea of tourist 'corridors' as imagined by countries such as Croatia or Austria, which want to open their territories only to 'sorted' tourists from countries where the epidemic is not virulent. This discrimination cannot be decreed on the basis of nationality alone, comments Andreas Schwab, who says countries cannot “choose their tourists and must respect a real strategy with stabilised zones.
The Commission will discuss its strategy again on 14 May with Interior Ministers. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)