Covid changed, here is Farnesina’s plan to bring back stranded Italians in Britain- Corriere.it

Citizens residing in Italy and those with reasons of necessity and urgency will be able to return from Great Britain with commercial flights that will receive a private authorization. This is the decision made by Chancellor Luigi Di Maio in agreement with his colleague from Health, Roberto Speranza. The restrictions that will be included in the ordinance have also been set: whoever returns will have to undergo the tampon before and after leaving and in any case it will be mandatory 14-day quarantine once landed in Italy. On the other hand, no restrictions were foreseen for the goods.

The Brussels request

The decision taken by the two ministers follows the request that came shortly before from the EU Commission with an official note: immediately remove the blockades that prevent the movement of goods between the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe and that run the risk to put the supply chain in crisis. to the British Isles. The ban on flights and trains from Britain should end given the need to secure essential travel and avoid supply chain disruptions, the Commission writes. It is not an obligation, but a piece of advice that still carries strong political weight and takes note of the growing difficulties at the British borders: thousands of trucks stopped in Dover, British supermarkets forced to dent their stocks to meet demand.

To bring back blocked citizens

The EU recommends first of all the best possible coordination between member states to deal with the crisis caused by the mutated virus. Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders also recommended avoiding non-essential travel while allowing EU citizens stranded in Britain to return to their home countries (only 15,000 Italians stopped on the other side of the Canal de La Mancha). For her part, the EU’s transport director, Adina Velean, said that transport workers should be exempted from restrictive measures. Until December 31 – here is a passage from the note – freedom of movement still applies; individual member states should not turn people away from Great Britain. Cargo traffic must also continue uninterrupted.

The chaos in Dover

The reference goes in particular to the French government, which has introduced blockades for trucks leaving Dover or wanting to cross the Channel Tunnel. The stop generated queues of thousands of heavy vehicles that had been detained for days on the north bank of the Canal. The continued influx of trucks into Kent County has forced local authorities to use the Folkestone Airport runway on the Canal as parking to avoid congestion from the highway and parking areas in the Dover Port area.