Recommendation 2020/912 - Temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

LI 208/1

On 16 March 2020, the Commission adopted a Communication (1) recommending a temporary restriction of non-essential travel from third countries into the EU+ area (2) for one month. On 17 March 2020, the Heads of State or Government of the EU agreed to implement the temporary restriction of non-essential travel. The four Schengen Associated States also implemented it.

On 26 March 2020, the Heads of State or Government of the European Union agreed to apply a coordinated temporary restriction of non-essential travel to the EU as a consequence to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 8 April 2020 (3) and 8 May 2020 (4), the Commission adopted two follow-up Communications, each recommending the extension of the non-essential travel restrictions by one month, respectively. All Schengen Member States as well as the four Schengen Associated States (hereafter ‘Member States’) decided to implement these extensions, in the last instance until 15 June 2020.

On 15 April 2020, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council set out a ‘Joint European Roadmap towards lifting COVID-19 containment measures’ (5). The Roadmap lays down a two-stage approach whereby internal border controls should be lifted in a coordinated manner. Subsequently, temporary restrictions at external borders would be gradually relaxed and non-EU residents would be allowed to resume non-essential travel to the EU. The lifting of the travel restriction at the external borders should take place after or in parallel with the lifting of the internal border controls by the Member States.

Consultations with Member States confirmed a need to have a further short extension of the existing restrictions at external borders and the importance of a coordinated approach to their gradual lifting.

On 11 June 2020, the Commission adopted a Communication (6) which recommended to extend the restriction on non-essential travel into the EU until 30 June 2020, and which sets out an approach for a gradual lifting of the restriction on non-essential travel into the EU as of 1 July 2020. All Member States have implemented the further extension until 30 June.

Discussions have since then taken place between Member States on the criteria and methodology to be applied.

This Recommendation is without prejudice to the responsibility that Member States have to continue applying Article 6 of the Schengen Borders Code (7), which lays down the entry conditions for third-country nationals. In particular, the Member States keep the responsibility to assess whether, on a case-by-case basis, a third-country national is to be considered a threat to public health. In this context, Member States should ensure a close cooperation between border guard authorities and transport providers.

Border control is in the interest not only of the Member State at whose external borders it is carried out but of all Member States which have abolished internal border control. Member States should therefore ensure that measures taken at the external borders are coordinated in order to ensure a well functioning Schengen area. To that end Member States should start lifting the temporary restriction on non-essential travel...