France to lift travel restrictions on internal European borders on June 15

As coronavirus cases continue to decrease in the country, the French government has announced that it will lift the travel restrictions on internal European borders on June 15. France’s Interior Minister Christophe Castaner and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in a joint statement on June 13 that from June 15, people who are willing to come to the country from other nations of the bloc and Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, the Vatican, can do so without any conditions. 

The statement said, “Given the favourable development of the health situation in France and in Europe and in accordance with the recommendations of the European Commission presented yesterday, France will lift all traffic restrictions at its European internal borders on June 15 in the morning (0:00 am) ( (land, air and sea) implemented to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“From June 15, people from European countries (Member States of the European Union as well as Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican) will be able to enter French territory without restrictions related to the fight against COVID-19, as was the case before March 18, 2020,” it added.

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Schengen external borders to be opened from July 1

After the European Commission had recommended France on June 11 to lift the restrictions on the travel to the EU, the joint statement also came in accordance with it. The French government said that the gradual opening of Schengen external borders will occur from July 1 based on the health situation and the procedures will then be adapted by the authorities. Moreover, international students will now be allowed to enter the country irrespective of their origin and according to the statement, their visas and permit requests will be given priority.

The statement said, “In accordance with the recommendations of the European Commission presented yesterday and inspired by the French proposals, France will also proceed to a gradual opening of its Schengen external borders from July 1."

"This opening will be carried out gradually and differentiated according to the health situation of the different third countries, and in accordance with the procedures which will have been adopted at European level by then,” it added.

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(Image Source: AP)