December 22, the European Commission issued a directive urging EU member states to lift the travel ban on the United Kingdom, resume freight and transportation as soon as possible, and ensure that EU residents can “go home for Christmas”.
According to France 24 on December 22, the European Commission’s statement can be regarded as Britain’s “life-saving straw”. EU member states and other countries have suspended transportation and freight with the United Kingdom due to the discovery of a more infectious mutant novel coronavirus in eastern England.
The European Commission also reportedly suggested that member states should not encourage people to travel to and from the UK under unnecessary circumstances.
Nevertheless, member states should allow residents of EU member states to go home, but they need to quarantine or be tested for COVID-19 for 10 days.
It is reported that the European Commission’s recommendations are not binding, and member states have the right to formulate and implement their own border control policies.
According to Reuters, the French Prime Minister’s Office said on the 22nd that citizens of France and EU member states will be allowed to enter France again from the United Kingdom from midnight on the 22nd, but must provide a negative test for the novel coronavirus within 72 hours.
According to the agreement reached between Britain and France on the 22nd, France will allow French citizens with valid test certificates within 72 hours, people with the right of abode in France, citizens of EU countries, and people with reasons for necessary travel to enter the United Kingdom from the 23rd, and the measures will be maintained until at least January 6, 2021.
France will not require immigrants to undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test with high accuracy, but require that the test produce results at least one day, and require that the test they take to detect mutant viruses.
