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Coronavirus mutations are causing the EU a major headache. National border controls, like at the beginning of the pandemic, were discussed again to contain them, but EU members want to keep the borders open.
In the fight against the corona pandemic, the 27 EU countries want to further restrict unnecessary travel. However, European borders must remain as open as possible for goods and travelers. This was reported by the President of the EU Council, Charles Michel, after an EU video summit. The dreaded new variants of the virus should be tracked more specifically and the vaccination campaign should gain further momentum. There should be an EU vaccination certificate, but initially there are no advantages for vaccinated people, for example when traveling.
Warning of unnecessary travel
Michel said member states were very concerned about the new, more contagious variants of the virus. Therefore, the restrictions should be maintained and, in some cases, reinforced. However, borders should remain open for the single market to continue to function, Michel added.
The head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, explained that a new category of “dark red areas” should be introduced where the corona virus is very common. People wishing to travel from these areas may be asked to take a test prior to departure and to self-quarantine upon arrival. Unnecessary travel should be discouraged, von der Leyen added.
National border controls under discussion
Before the summit, Chancellor Angela Merkel had campaigned for closer cooperation with EU states, but had not completely ruled out controls at the German borders. “If a country with an incidence that is perhaps twice that of Germany opens all stores while they are still closed in our country, then of course you have a problem,” he said in Berlin.
In reality, there is freedom of movement in the Schengen area, to which 26 European countries belong, without stationary border controls. However, at the beginning of the pandemic, several countries, in some cases without coordination, had closed borders or initiated controls. On the German border with Poland, traffic was congested for dozens of kilometers. Perishable goods did not reach their destination and cross-border travelers had trouble getting to work.
Accelerate vaccines
Regarding vaccinations, which have only started slowly in the EU, Michel said the heads of state and government wanted an acceleration. However, the principle that vaccines are distributed in the EU at the same time and according to the size of the population should be upheld.
There are still rumors regarding vaccination in many EU countries. At the video summit, there were many questions about the transparency and delivery schedules of the various vaccines, an EU representative reported. Because the companies Biontech and Pfizer can deliver less vaccine than planned on short notice, some vaccination appointments in Germany were canceled. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz wrote on Twitter that at the summit video everyone agreed that vaccines should be delivered as soon as possible. Expect the AstraZeneca vaccine to be approved no later than next week.
The EU Commission also expects new vaccines and larger quantities soon and is urging all 27 states to set ambitious targets. By the summer, 70 per cent of adults in the EU are said to be immunized against the virus, and by March 80 per cent of people over 80 and nursing and health workers.
