Who would have thought that a list would be so highly political. For days, the EU ambassadors of the member countries, which third countries they from 1. July would get the green light for entry into the European Union. Only objective criteria played a role, but mainly economic and tourist arguments.
Too many Corona infections in the U.S.
Four large countries are missing on the now-approved list: The USA, Brazil, Russia and India. Especially Italy and France a great interest in the return of the US-American tourists, but the Coronavirus is spreading in the United States currently in an uncontrolled manner, in order to enable again carefree freedom of travel for tourists to Europe.
And all the rumors that this was any kind of political retaliation, to shatter on the views of the rapid contagion to happen in Parts of the USA. In addition, Washington has closed the borders for Europeans and it is the principle of reciprocity applies: We can only enter the country, who allow us also.
Similar is true for Russia, Brazil and India: Everywhere, the disease numbers are still too high or there are serious doubts about the official Figures reported from these countries. Here the EU comes to the conclusion that the infection did not happen under control.
In these countries, everything is under control
The travel restrictions on 16. March were adopted at the beginning of the pandemic, now, for Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. had made especially Spain, which maintains with the Maghreb States exchanges. Belgium had been pushing for the approval of Rwanda , while some of the Eastern European EU had pressed for countries on the travel authorization for Georgia , because they do not want to miss, according to EU diplomats, the welfare of the Russian government a lesson.
In the Asian countries the EU borders open up from 1. July for Japan South Korea and Thailand . In the case of China the Situation is different: Chinese citizens are allowed to enter, in principle, again, that depends on whether Beijing opens the borders for EU-citizens.
Welcome travelers from Australia, new Zealand and Canada are also. , the EU-neighbours Serbia and Montenegro , and is the only South American country to be Admitted to in addition, Uruguay is on the Positive list.
What are the criteria?
In principle, to apply objective criteria for the decision on the freedom of travel. The number of COVID-19-contagions in the past two weeks may not be higher than the EU-average (15. June). The number of new Infections in the same period, must be stable or decreasing. And, finally, factors such as Supervision, testing, contact tracing, treatment and condition of the public health system are included. It plays a role in how a country performs in the official statistics of the world health organization.
And finally, is the question of how reliable information from the countries concerned will be assessed over the course of the Corona epidemic. In many autocratic countries, such as Russia, there are doubts as to the official Figures, because the observer and the local doctors are the Happen differently. The member countries are therefore invited to take into account also information from the EU delegations in the field.
conflicting Interests within the EU
in fact, however, has shown that, in addition to the disease-medical criteria, but also political and especially economic interests, play a role.
for contention on the list of deep differences on the deeds to the southern European countries such as Spain, Italy and Greece, which had pushed for a faster and wider opening of the border. You Worry less about a flare-up of the Corona infections than to lose the Rest of the holiday season. You want to attract as many tourists as possible.
in Contrast, the Northern countries want to keep the borders rather longer closed to the risk of a second Corona to fend off wave. You hold the economic damage caused by new cases for higher than a failed trip of the season.
The dispute highlights how the different economic interests of EU member countries have, when in such critical issues such as the opening of the border during a pandemic joint decisions are to be taken. Although the list of the EU, is not absolutely binding, because each country has responsibility for its own borders. It alone, however, could have dramatic consequences, because EU neighbours would then, in turn, impact the trees down again.
The trip list will be updated every fourteen days. However, the member countries to decide on a simpler method. You can finally block every Time the work force of their busy representatives for days, these small-scale intra-European squabbles out.
author: Barbara Wesel
*The post “five to ten allowed in USA to stay on the outside” is published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.
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