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Starting Friday, only random checks should be performed at the borders. Austria is fighting for similar agreements with other neighboring countries.
The crowned borders between Germany and Austria will be fully opened on June 15. Starting Friday, there will only be random border checks, the Chancellery confirmed the two-stage opening process outlined on Tuesday by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) had called Merkel on Tuesday to Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) with her German counterpart Horst Seehofer. The German government wanted to discuss the next steps at its meeting on Wednesday. Already on Tuesday afternoon, Kurz had said on “10vor10” on Swiss television that he was a Opening of the border wait in June. On Wednesday night the chancellor was expected at Kleinwalsertal, which, as a customs exclusion area that can only be reached through German territory, is particularly affected by Corona’s border controls.
The tourism industry lives on the Germans.
As announced by the Federal Chancellery in Vienna, Austria is also striving to liberalize the border regime with other neighboring countries. Nehammer, Europe Minister Karoline Edtstadler and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (all ÖVP) have briefly commissioned a similar step-by-step process with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and neighboring Eastern European countries “if infections are also under control there ” Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) will deal with tourism-related aspects, she said.
Köstinger was the first member of the government before Easter Opening of the border It came into play in Germany on the basis of a bilateral agreement before the summer. Initially it found a moderate response from both the Ministry of Health and the German government. The Austrian tourism industry is highly dependent on German vacationers. Above all, however, the industry pushed for clarity regarding the summer season and referred to regular German guest bookings, making it difficult for new Austrian guests to make promises.
The EU Commission recommends coordinated behavior
The procedure corresponds to the “As much freedom as possible, as much restriction as necessary” approach and also follows the recommendations of the EU Commission after a gradual process based on clearly defined criteria, the Federal Chancellery said.
The EU Commission wanted its guidelines for a gradual Opening of the border decide at your weekly meeting on Wednesday. According to media reports, the Brussels authority recommends a careful and coordinated procedure by the Member States. Therefore, controls must first relax when the number of infections on both sides of the border improves comparably.
Travelers are on the move again
Germany had decided in the crown crisis on border controls with Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Austria, which are currently limited to May 15. Only those who have a valid reason can currently enter Germany. In addition, there is a world travel warning for tourist travel abroad in Germany until mid-June. This warning is said to be limited to certain countries in the future.
Already this Wednesday several smaller border crossings between Bavaria and Austria were opened for travelers and residents. Upper Austria is about the Breitenberg-Hinteranger / Vorderanger and Voglau border crossings, which will now be open every day from 7:00 a.m. at 8:00 p.m., and Bad Füssing-Obernberg (6:00 a.m. at 8:00 p.m.).
More border crossings to open soon
As announced by the APA upon request, the Großgmain-Bayerisch Gmain border crossing will also be opened in Salzburg, but only for travelers living or working in these two municipalities or in Bad Reichenhall. According to German information, the Reit im Winkl-Kössen and Oberjoch-Schattwald border crossings should be opened for Tirol. Additionally, there will now be other border crossings available to farmers and foresters.
Austria had closed its borders to virtually all neighboring countries in a few days in mid-March to inhibit the spread of the coronavirus. Starting with Italy, foreign citizens could only enter with a negative coronavirus certificate, while people with permanent residence in Austria had to commit to a two-week home quarantine. Meanwhile, regulations have been relaxed a bit, for example for family visits, but also for travelers. For foreign workers, such as nurses, separate transports were arranged, including tests.
