EU facing lockdown again?

EU facing lockdown again?

In a situation of spreading new strains of coronavirus and a large number of new infections, the European Commission called for avoiding and "strongly discouraging" all travel that is not necessary.

Additional measures were requested in Brussels today at the borders, both inside the EU and at the external borders, in order to stop the spread of the virus.

"Testing will be mandatory for all passengers entering the EU, including those on so-called essential travel. The PCR test for entering the EU must be at most 72 hours old," says Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson.

She states that additional rules, including self-isolation, quarantine and contact monitoring for up to 14 days, must be applied to travelers coming from third countries, where the circulation of new strains of the virus is noticeable.

For EU citizens and holders of residence permits, testing will be provided on arrival, and the passenger location form should become universal and mandatory.

The Commission's proposal includes adding "dark red" to the existing epidemiological map of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control for areas where high levels of infection are present, partly caused by new strains of the virus.

"We support the decision of member states that passengers from other member states should not be rejected at borders. Quarantine and tests before or after arrival can be applied as restrictions. Stricter measures will apply to arrivals from dark red areas," said the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders.

The Commission states that there will be exceptions that will apply to citizens who cross borders within the member states in order to go to work, school or take care of family members.

Citizens who come from dark red zones due to mandatory travel should, according to the Commission's proposal, take a pre-arrival test and be quarantined, unless it has a disproportionate impact on their essential travel.

The European Commission concludes that the goal of these measures is to protect citizens and the single EU market, including the delivery of vaccines.