The European Commission has asked member states to lift all border restrictions by the end of June. Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said that this was requested since many countries are showing fast improvement in the COVID-19 situation. “We are coming very close to a situation where we should lift all the internal border restrictions and border checks,” she explained.

EU home affairs ministers will discuss the response to the COVID-19 pandemic related to internal border controls and the free movement of persons today, with further announcements to follow. Johansson was happy to see EU nations ending border checks and open up the EU and Schengen passport-free area again.

Several European nations have announced the reopening of their borders

Several nations, including France and Belgium, have announced the reopening of their borders for the summer tourist season. This is followed by more European nations, including Germany, on June 15th, with Italy reopening this week. 

Johansson said that the epidemiological situation was improving in many member states and citizens were adopting social distancing measures to fight the virus as “a new normal”. However, decisions to reopen will be done on a national level, with some resistance.

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