The Ministers of the Interior of the European Union will once again discuss the state of free movement within the Schengen area during Covid-19, on Friday 5 June by videoconference. They will inform each other of the measures taken since the publication by the Commission on 13 May of guidelines for the gradual lifting of national measures for controls at internal borders (see EUROPE 12486/9).
The Commission will also discuss with them the extension of the restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU, currently in force until 15 June, and the appropriate duration of this extension.
This meeting comes at a time when several Member States have already announced a return to normal at their borders. Germany has thus confirmed that it will open its doors to all EU neighbours and other EU nationals from 15 June and that its residents will also be able to travel anywhere in the EU. France should also follow this process from 15 June, as will Belgium as announced on 3 June by the Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès.
Italy, for its part, caused concern amongst its neighbours by announcing the reopening of its borders from 3 June. However, France, Austria and Switzerland have decided not to apply reciprocal measures and will continue to exercise restrictions with Italy, whose epidemiological situation is still in question. In Central Europe, borders are also gradually reopening.
On Thursday 4 June, the European Parliament Civil Liberties Committee will vote on a draft resolution prepared by Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, Spain) on restoring free movement within the Schengen area (see EUROPE 12489/13). The text was the subject of 23 amendments, tabled in particular by the EPP and ECR groups to justify the re-establishment of health checks and to moderate the criticisms relating to a lack of coordination. However, the initiators of the resolution do not believe that these amendments are such as to weaken the scope of the text, which consists above all in calling on the Member States to return to normal as soon as possible and in a coordinated manner.
Other topics on the ministerial agenda include transatlantic cooperation and the interoperability of information systems in the field of home affairs. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)