Covid-19: France closes borders to most non-EU travel
France has imposed new Covid-19 border restrictions, but has once again resisted a new nationwide lockdown. All but essential travel from outside the EU has been banned, while testing requirements on travellers from within the EU has been tightened. PM Jean Castex said France’s night curfew would be more tightly enforced and large shopping centres would close. But the measures were seen as mild and favouring the economy. Some doctors fear they will not curb infections.The new border restrictions will affect the UK, now no longer in the EU, but the French transport minister clarified on Twitter that hauliers transporting goods to or from the UK would not be affected.
Mr Castex said that from Sunday, apart from exceptional reasons, “any entry into France and any exit from our territory to or from a country outside the European Union will be prohibited”. A number of countries are exempted, as they are not considered at risk. They are Australia, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore and Thailand. In addition, arrivals from inside the EU, and several other neighbouring states – Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, the Vatican and Switzerland – will have to present a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.(BBC)…[+]