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France ‘won’t hesitate’ to install border controls

France will "not hesitate" to follow Germany in bringing back border controls over the refugee crisis if it becomes necessary in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Wednesday.

Published: 17 September 2015 09:19 CEST

France 'won't hesitate' to install border controls

The French border with Italy where controls have been in place for many months. Photo: AFP

“We already restored temporary controls in spring (on the Italian border) and we won't hesitate to do it again as the rules of Schengen allow when circumstances require it,” Valls told a parliamentary debate on the migrant crisis.

Buckling under the pressure of the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, Germany announced this week it was reinstating border controls in a blow to the EU's passport-free Schengen zone.

Austria and Slovakia quickly followed suit with similar measures and Poland said it too was willing to step up policing of its borders.

Paris reinstated controls on its border with Italy in June as large numbers of migrants arriving by boat in Italy tried to cross into France.

“Schengen is the free movement of people,” Valls said of the passport-free zone that encompasses 22 EU countries as well as Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

“It is a part of our identity, and our security. But Schengen is also the control of exterior borders, otherwise it doesn't work,” said Valls.

Valls again called for more European cooperation in dealing with the refugee crisis.

President Francois Hollande has said France will take in 24,000 refugees over the next two years and warned that without a united EU policy to share the burden of migrants, the borderless Schengen system will collapse.

Valls said more than 600 million euros ($677 million) would go towards financing the reception of these refugees by the end of 2017.

He also announced the creation of 900 extra security forces jobs, particularly border police, to fight illegal immigration.

“Some tell us 'you must shut everything'. To say that is to ignore the refugees dying on our doorstep. Others say 'open everything'. To say that is to ignore the realities and difficulties faced by French society,” said Valls.

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IN DETAIL: What are the rules on travel into Denmark from within the EU?

Package tourists leaving Copenhagen on their way to Mallorca. Photo: Martin Sylvest/Ritzau Scanpix

What’s the most recent change in the regulatory framework?

Denmark on May 14th relaxed the rules for travel from all EU countries so that travellers from these countries no longer need “a worthy purpose” to travel to Denmark unless their country has a high-enough infection rate to be classed as “red” in Denmark’s traffic light system.

This has opened the way for tourism from the EU, and also from the entire Schengen zone, which also includes Switzerland, Andorra, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino and Vatican City.

Under the May 14th update, travellers coming from European Union or Schengen countries or regions classed as “yellow” no longer have to show a negative coronavirus test before boarding the plane, and no longer need to go into self-isolation on arrival in Denmark.

Those who aren’t Danish citizens or residents, however are required to show a recent negative test, taken no more than 48 hours before boarding their plane, before entering Denmark.

At Copenhagen Airport, there’s a centre before passport control where you can get a rapid test, so if you are willing to risk a return flight, you can wait until arrival before getting tested. In practice, it is probably safer to get a test before you go.

Travellers coming from European Union or Schengen countries or regions classed as “orange” do, however, need to get a test before boarding the aircraft, and also need to go into self-isolation for at least four days, until they test negative for coronavirus, or for ten days without a test.

Here is the latest table from the Danish authority’s Coronasmitte website on the travel guidelines for EU and Schengen countries.

Which EU or Schengen countries or regions are classed as “yellow” by Denmark?

Denmark on Saturday June 5th moved Italy, Germany, Austria and Slovakia from the “orange” classification to “yellow”, meaning Danish citizens are no longer advised against leisure travel to these countries, and also that tourists from these countries no longer need to get tested before boarding their flight, or go into isolation on arrival in Denmark.

These countries are currently classed as “yellow” in Denmark.

Austria	Czech Republic	Slovakia	Finland
Bulgaria	Germany	Hungary	Iceland
Italy	Malta	Poland	Portugal
Romania

Denmark also on June 5th added six new European regions to its list of countries classified as “yellow”, the Peloponnese in Greece, Jadranska Hrvatska in Croatia, Zug and Ticino in Switzerland, and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

Here are the European regions currently classified as “yellow”:

Croatia: Jadranska Hrvatska
France: Corse, Martinique, Mayotte

Greece: Peloponnisos

Norway: Rogaland, Møre og Romsdal, Norland, Viken, Vestland

Spain: Galicia, Principado de Asturias, Cantabria, Extremadura, Comunitat Valenciana, Illes Balears, Región de Murcia, Canarias

Switzerland: Zug,Ticino

Which regions in the EU or Schengen are currently classified as “red”?

None.

How are the rules different for travellers from the EU/Schengen who are fully vaccinated or immune?

Travellers from the EU and Schengen regions who are fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency, or who can document that they have been infected with Covid-19 and recovered in the last 14 to 180 days can forgo most of the restrictions that remain (unless their country is rated “red”).

Even if their country is rated as “orange”, they still do not need to show a recent negative coronavirus test before boarding their aircraft, get tested on arrival, isolate on arrival, or take a test prior to entering Denmark.

Here is the latest table from the Danish authority’s Coronasmitte website giving the travel guidelines for vaccinated or immune travellers from EU and Schengen countries.

What are the requirements if you are travelling by land or sea?

Travellers coming to Denmark by road, train or ferry need to be able to show a negative test result not more than 48 hours old before entering the country. Unlike with flights, however, even if the country of departure is ranked “orange” (as Norway or Sweden are) they do not need to show a negative test before boarding the ship, train or bus.

What are the rules on travel for residents of border regions?

Foreigners with permanent residence in regions bordering Denmark, such Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, and Blekinge, Skåne, Halland and Västra Götaland in Sweden do not need a “worthy purpose” to travel into Denmark, even if their country is classified as “red”. They can only show a negative test that is up to 72 hours old, rather than 48 hours for other travellers.

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