France relaxing border restrictions

Team Udayavani, May 24, 2020, 3:30 PM IST

Paris: France is relaxing its border restrictions as the virus gradually recedes, allowing migrant workers and family visitors from other European countries but is requiring quarantine for people arriving from Britain and Spain.

Starting Monday, France is abandoning border checks installed in March and switching to spot checks in various places, according to a government statement.

It is also broadening the categories of people allowed from other countries in Europe’s border-free travel zone to include migrant workers and people coming for family reasons.

However, since Britain and Spain are requiring quarantine for those arriving from elsewhere in Europe, France is doing the same. It will be a voluntary 14-day quarantine, based on reciprocity for measures taken by Britain and Spain in an uncoordinated manner, the French government said.

Travellers from outside Europe are still banned until at least June 15, except for French citizens. Any traveller arriving in France must fill out a permission form justifying the trip and a signed paper declaring that they don’t have symptoms. The government said France is working with other European countries on standard Europe-wide travel rules.