With the recent improvement seen in the COVID-19 situation, and in response to it, the European Commission announced on June 5, requesting member-states to have their borders reopened by July 1. As a result, some countries under the European Union have announced new steps to reopen their borders.
Germany has announced that from Tuesday, June 16, the European Union (EU) citizens and Swiss nationals will have unhindered access to enter Germany, without controls or quarantine regulations.
In addition, Germany will on Monday, June 15, ease its border controls and open up its land borders with Switzerland, France, Austria, and Denmark.
According to the Interior Minister, Horst Seehofer, this decision may be reversed if the situation worsens.
This new policy, however, exempts foreigners arriving by plane from Spain, who will not be allowed into the country until after June 21.
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In a related development, Danish Minister of Justice, Nick Haekkerup announced also that the borders of Denmark will now be open to residents of the northernmost German state, Schleswig-Holstein, without restrictions.
This also takes effect from Monday, June 15, 2020.
Following the expansion of the list of “recognisable purposes” that allow foreigners to enter Denmark, business trips and visits from family members from other EU and Schengen countries as well as Britain will be allowed.
Also, people residing in the EU and Britain, who own holiday houses in Denmark or who can document that they are only being in transit in Denmark for vacation or tourism outside Denmark, will also be allowed to travel in the country.
A Wednesday Facebook post from Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, also reveals that the country will reopen all its borders to allow inter-crossing from Hungarians and Croatians.
The rule requiring people to go into quarantine after crossing the borders ceases from Monday, June 15.
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Poland’s Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki also announced that the country’s borders will be opened to other EU countries with effect from Saturday, June 13.
Temporary passport checks, abolished in 2007 when Poland joined the Schengen area, will also be lifted so that citizens of other EU countries can enter Poland again.
International flights, which have been ceased apart from repatriation charter flights, will resume three days later, according to the announcement.
