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When Covid-19 hit Europe in full force in March, several governments acted with determination. Among other things, Poland closed its borders, which meant that Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians returning home were stuck. The transports remained standing. Fresh produce was destroyed.
France prohibited companies from exporting certain protective equipment, affecting, for example, the Swedish company Mölnlycke, as well as healthcare providers in Italy and Spain who desperately needed oral protection.
All of this was resolved relatively quickly after contacts between the EU institutions and the Member States. Since then, the European Commission has issued guidelines on fighting the crown, which countries have largely followed. Coordination is particularly notable with respect to the new vaccines. The Commission has entered into agreements with the main pharmaceutical companies on behalf of the countries so that vaccines are sufficient for all citizens.
But with the new strain of virus, which seems to be the most widespread in the UK, once again puts coordination and solidarity to the test. This weekend, the Netherlands were the first to ban entry to passengers arriving by plane from the UK. Belgium, Italy and others followed. On Sunday, therefore, a quick meeting was held between the Member States to coordinate efforts. Several meetings were held on Monday.
Because the measurements differ. The Netherlands has stopped UK air traffic until January 1. Belgium stopped both flights and trains for 24 hours with a likely extension. Denmark has stopped the traffic for two days. France has also stopped the traffic of goods, which includes people (truck drivers) entering the country. And so.
At the same time, the new crown strain has already been found in isolated cases in the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. Will this in turn lead to other EU countries, for example in Central and Eastern Europe, to close their borders again?
Questions about entry bans and health policy is decided at the national level. Therefore, no country violates any regulations. But before the next long weekends, hardly anyone in Brussels wants to see a hard-to-see patchwork quilt of new national rules that are constantly changing and lead to more stranded travelers and stopped transports.
The mess in the EU-UK trade talks is pretty good. And the preparations that are now being made for the British to leave the EU without a deal on January 1.
Read more: Norway, Denmark and Finland use flights from the UK
Read more: British stranded in Europe: “We are being held against our will”
