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Coronavirus: EC presents border management guidelines

Author: Roberta Mlinarić

ZAGREB, March 16 (Hina) - The European Commission on Monday published guidelines for member-countries with principles of integrated and efficient border management in the context of the coronavirus pandemic to protect human health and ensure the functioning of the single market.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that EU measures to fight coronavirus would be effective only if member-countries were coordinated at EU level and that extraordinary measures would be introduced to protect EU citizens' health.

Von der Leyen said that goods and basic services had to circulate freely on the single market as that was the only way to prevent shortages of medical equipment or food, noting that the single market was a key instrument of European solidarity.

The EU guidelines were presented to member-countries' ministers of health and the interior at a video conference on Monday.

Flow of people

The EC notes that introduction of medical checks on borders between member-states is allowed also without previous notification of the EC. Persons who are ill must not be denied entry but should be provided with medical care.

Persons determined to be possible carriers of the virus should have access to adequate health care either in the country of arrival or the country of departure and the provision of health care should be coordinated between those two countries.

The guidelines state that member-countries can introduce checks on internal borders to protect the peace, which in some very critical situations can include public health.

Such checks should be organised to prevent bigger gatherings and queues on the border, which can increase the risk of the virus spreading. Member-states should coordinate their activities so that medical checks are done only on one side of the border, the EC says.

Border controls should be performed proportionately and taking people's health into account. Member-countries must allow the entry of their citizens and those who have residence in them and facilitate the transit of other countries' citizens and residents returning home.

In doing so, they can take measures such as request that those persons self-isolate if such a request also applies to their nationals.

Member-countries on the external borders should introduce medical checks to determine if passengers have symptoms or have been exposed to the virus because they come from areas or countries hit hard by coronavirus.

As regards workers in border areas, member-countries should facilitate their border crossing, and this particularly refers to workers in the health and food sectors and workers who provide some of the basic services, such as care for children and the elderly.

Flow of goods and services

The free flow of goods, notably food, livestock and vital medical and protective equipment, is of crucial importance.

The control measures must not lead to disruptions in supply chains or basic services of general interest.

To that end, member-countries should ensure priority lanes for cargo transport on borders.

This includes the possibility of free movement of truck and train drivers, pilots and other aircrew, the EC says.

For goods that circulate legally on the single European market no additional permits are required, the EC says, noting that there is no evidence that coronavirus is transmitted via food.

(Hina) rml

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