The six European Union countries that introduced border controls went too far in the fight against corona mutants, the European Commission believes. Germany rejects that criticism and calls for the introduction of vaccination certificates.
Germany has extended strict restrictions on those entering from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Austrian Tyrol until March 3. This was decided at the session on Tuesday (February 23.2). A complete ban on entry is in force at the border with the Czech Republic. There are a few exceptions for truck drivers and systemically relevant persons who drive from one country to another. Those permanent border controls, which the German government believes will prevent the spread of the British strain of corona in Bavaria and Saxony, are bothering the European Commission in Brussels.
On Monday, the Commission sent complaints to the addresses of Germany and five other EU member states (Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary and Belgium), criticizing the border controls, calling them "disproportionate" and "discriminatory". Protection against the spread of the mutated variant of the virus could have been achieved with less drastic measures, the letter states. The mentioned EU countries now have ten days to react to the accusations of the European Commission, confirmed a spokesperson of the Commission in Brussels.
Germany rejects the EU's allegations
It didn't take long for the German federal government to respond. State Minister for EU Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Michael Roth reacted with indignation. "I reject the accusation that we are not complying with EU law," Roth said ahead of a video conference with his colleagues. The European Commission criticized the fact that Germany and the other five countries are exceeding the recommendations they themselves adopted in January.
"We adhere to the Schengen rules," State Minister Roth said. According to those rules, it is prescribed that there are no permanent checks of persons at the internal borders between the 26 member countries, but also that temporary exceptions are possible - only if they are justified, if they are reported to the European Commission and when they are sufficiently justified.
Criticism immediately arrived at the address of the EU from the German province of Bavaria. "Border control is not disproportionate, it is necessary," the Bavarian government headquarters in Munich said. The seven-day incidence in some parts of the Czech Republic is 1.400 newly infected per 100.000 inhabitants, said Florian Hermann, head of the Bavarian Government Office. That risk should be taken extremely seriously. Testing truck drivers at borders, criticized by the EU, is "necessary, because mobility is a problem when you have a pandemic".
The border with France should remain open
At the same time, Germany's border with France should remain open, states Minister of State Michael Roth after talking with French representatives about the danger posed by the South African mutant, which appeared in the northeast of that country. "The German provinces bordering France specifically requested that border controls not be introduced. With that, they made it clear that they do not want a de facto border closure," Roth said.
He also emphasized that the situation with France is different from that between Bavaria and the Czech Republic. "We hope that we will be able to justify the special importance of the Franco-German border region for the whole of Europe, because life and work in that region are so closely intertwined, as in few border areas within the EU," said Michael Roth.
Roth added that negotiations are underway with France to harmonize the measures on both sides of the border - because in Germany, for example, shops are closed and in France they are open. In France there is a curfew from 18:00, and in Germany there are no such movement restrictions. However, as a last resort, Saxony's Prime Minister Tobias Hans (CDU) did not rule out closing the borders with France or Luxembourg. In the case of "big differences" in incidence, it would have to be done that way.
Grumbling from Bavaria
Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn has repeatedly spoken out against border controls. The virus cannot be stopped at border points, both Asselborn and European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides emphasized in interviews. The outcry of Prime Minister Markus Söder could be heard from Bavaria, who, when introducing border controls, said that the EU should take care of vaccines and let him continue his work at the border.
The Czech Republic and Austria each declared parts of their territory dangerous "mutated coronavirus areas" and closed them from the inside. The affected Bavarian districts with a high number of cases are not isolated from the rest of Bavaria.
Ministers for EU affairs of the member countries held another meeting in Brussels on the subject of border controls. The EU heads of state and government will probably discuss this topic at the video summit on Thursday (February 25.2). After the experience of spring 2020 with heavy traffic jams and disrupted supply chains, it was repeatedly promised that there would be no more border closures in the Schengen area. However, Belgium has completely closed its borders to "unnecessary" entries and exits. Portugal closed its border with Spain. Finland and Hungary have also closed within their borders.
EU vaccination certificate
By summer at the latest, everything should be completely different. EU countries that make a lot of money from mass tourism, such as Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy and France, want to save the tourist season - if at all possible. Greece and Cyprus are leading the way and letting in tourists who can prove they have been vaccinated against covid 19. Meanwhile, studies are available - especially from Israel, a country that pioneered vaccination - that show that those who have been vaccinated no longer spread the virus.
"This is wonderful news," said German State Minister Michael Roth. That is why the topic of "vaccination certificate" must be put back on the agenda. It is not about "privileges" for vaccinated people when traveling or access to political, cultural and sports events, but about a normal "right to freedom".
The EU will issue a single "pass for those who have been vaccinated", the only question is when. "When we vaccinate a significant number of our population, we will have to decide what the status of a vaccinated person means for mobility in the European Union. In Brussels, there is absolutely no disagreement on that issue," asserts Michael Roth.
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