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EU Ministers Seek Border Consistency 09/22 06:18
BRUSSELS (AP) -- European Union ministers on Tuesday discussed ways to
better coordinate travel restrictions in the 27-nation bloc and guarantee the
smooth circulation of people and goods as many EU nations see a resurgence of
the coronavirus.
European affairs ministers gathered in Brussels hoped to define a common
ground following the confusion that individual border restrictions some
countries adopted during the early days of the pandemic. In March, several
member nations closed their borders in an attempt to stop the spread of the
virus, even though the EU's Schengen agreement allows residents to move freely
between countries without visas.
The actions blocked traffic and medical equipment. The European affairs
ministers are discussing recommendations the EU's executive commission made to
avoid a repeat of the situation.
"What is very important from the point of view of the commission is to
return as soon as possible to a normal functioning of the single market, to
remove all the barriers that have been created during the COVID crisis, and
also give assurances to our citizens that we will very soon be getting things
back to normal," Maros Sefcovic, a European Commission vice-president attending
the discussion, said.
Several EU countries dealing with a second wave of confirmed virus cases
have imposing localized lockdowns and restrictions on public and private
gatherings. The European Commission has proposed that member countries agree on
common criteria and thresholds for putting travel restrictions in place.
The commission suggested that EU governments take into account the total
number of new confirmed cases per 100,000 people in a given area in a 14-day
period, the percentage of positive tests during a seven-day period, and the
number of tests carried out per 100,000 people over the same period.
It also proposed color-coded risk categories - green, orange, red and grey.
Those arriving from an area classified as red or grey, for example, would be
required to "either undergo quarantine or undergo a COVID-19 test after arrival
-- COVID-19 testing being the preferred option."
Clement Beaune, the French state secretary for European affairs, said better
coordination was "very important" to avoid creating "the confusion we are
unfortunately experiencing."
The meeting in Brussels was the ministers first to be held in person since
February.
Meanwhile, the European Commission said it increased its stockpile of
protective medical equipment and supplies to be in a position to support EU
members if outbreaks in Europe worsen in the coming months. The EU was caught
unprepared earlier this year when Italy ran out of masks and other countries
could not immediately answer the country's request for assistance because of a
worldwide shortage.
"With winter approaching and coronavirus cases increasing throughout Europe,
it is crucial that we continue to build up our stocks," European Commissioner
for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said.
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