Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

COVID-19

‘Race against the clock’: French police to step up lockdown checks at transport hubs

The French government has warned the public living in those areas under partial lockdown that police would be stepping up checks in strategic transport hubs such as train stations.

Published: 26 March 2021 15:43 CET
'Race against the clock': French police to step up lockdown checks at transport hubs
Photo by RAYMOND ROIG / AFP

Those living in the 19 areas of France under partial lockdown are forbidden from travelling 10km beyond their home except for essential work or family reasons.

And the government is determined to enforce the measure.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said Friday that he would mobilise 90,000 police officers and gendarmes to issue checks on highways, airports and train stations.

“We want to ensure that there is no change of département and that the French accept to remain in their area,” Darmanin said during a press conference.

RED ALSO: Easter holidays in France – what are the rules and the government’s advice?

Earlier that day the Prime Minister’s office said the increased police presence would begin from Friday evening at 7pm when the daily curfew comes into force.

‘It’s a race against the clock,” the PM’s office said.

The prime minister’s office known as Matignon said the extra checks were needed because of the third wave and the dominance of the more contagious and more severe variant first detected in the UK.

Travel between regions under partial lockdown to other parts of France is not allowed with anyone travelling further than 10 km from their home needing an exemption certificate (attestation) and a valid reason for travel such as essential work reasons – find the full list of reasons HERE.

Breaking the lockdown or curfew rules means risking a €135 fine, which can rise to €3,750 and six months in prison for repeat offenders.

Member comments

  1. Your heading photograph shows exactly what action the French police and gendarmerie take in most situations. When they do make an appearance which in my experience is seldom, they cluster in groups of at least 4 and up to 8 at a time.
    If they patrolled individually, or even in pairs if they need “a mate,” think how many more areas they would be spread over. Perhaps then the populous would take more notice of the prevailing regulations!!

  2. Think about this. 4 cops to check attestations for an entire train full of passengers. And ensure trains leave on time?
    And to check every car at peage on the A7 / A8?

  4. This story is one big LIE.

    Probably fed to news outlets to scare people?

    Several people I know have traveled by TGV in the past 48 hours and none of them either saw any authorities or were checked.

    I drove from Paris to Nice over 2 days and there were NO police at the Peages. Anywhere. Either leaving Ile de France or PACA.

    After I spent a lot of time preparing my dossier for my attestation.

    AND … I was stopped by Police Gendarmes near Lyon for a traffic infringement … they DID ask me where i was driving from and to but nothing else. I’ll not go into a long story but I had no idea a) I was being pulled over nor b) for what. Did I learn. All I told them was that I was part of the Brexit crime wave and they let me off with a warning.

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

EU

How would a ‘youth mobility scheme’ between the UK and EU really work?

The EU and the UK could enter into a 'youth mobility' scheme allowing young people to move countries to work, study and live. Here's what we know about the proposal.

Published: 18 April 2024 17:09 CEST
How would a 'youth mobility scheme' between the UK and EU really work?

Across the 27 countries of the EU, people of all ages can move countries to work, study, spend a long visit or chase the possibility of love – and all this is possible thanks to EU freedom of movement.

That freedom no longer extends to the UK. As a result of Brexit, a UK national who wants to move to an EU country, or an EU citizen who wants to move to the UK, will need a visa in order to do so.

However, a new ‘mobility scheme’ could re-create some elements of freedom of movement, if the EU and UK can come to an agreement.

The European Commission on Thursday announced proposals for a ‘youth mobility scheme’.

Who would benefit?

First things first, it’s only for the youngsters, older people will have to continue with the time-consuming and often expensive process of getting a visa for study, work or visiting.

The Commission’s proposal is for a scheme that covers people aged 18 to 30. 

Their reasoning is: “The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the EU and the UK. This situation has particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the Channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges.

“The proposal seeks to address in an innovative way the main barriers to mobility for young people experienced today and create a right for young people to travel from the EU to the UK and vice-versa more easily and for a longer period of time.”

How would it work?

We’re still at an early stage, but the proposal is to allow extended stays – for young people to be able to spend up to four years in the EU or UK – under a special type of visa or residency permit. It does not, therefore, replicate the paperwork-free travel of the pre-Brexit era.

The Commission states that travel should not be ‘purpose bound’ to allow young people to undertake a variety of activities while they are abroad.

Under the visa system, people must travel to a country for a specific purpose which has been arranged before they leave – ie in order to study they need a student visa which requires proof of enrolment on a course, or if they intend to work they need a working visa which often requires sponsorship from an employer.

The proposal would allow young people to spend their time in a variety of ways – perhaps some time working, a period of study and then some time travelling or just relaxing.

It would also not be subject to national or Bloc-wide quotas.

It seems that some kind of visa or residency permit would still be required – but it would be issued for up to four years and could be used for a variety of activities.

Fees for this should not be “excessive” – and the UK’s health surcharge would not apply to people travelling under this scheme.

Are there conditions?

Other than the age qualification, the proposal is that young people would have to meet other criteria, including having comprehensive health insurance, plus financial criteria to ensure that they will be able to support themselves while abroad.

The visa/residency permit could be rejected on the ground of threats to public policy, public security or public health.

Will this happen soon?

Slow down – what’s happened today is that the European Commission has made a recommendation to open negotiations.

This now needs to be discussed in the Council of Europe.

If the Council agrees then, and only then, will the EU open negotiations with the UK on the subject. The scheme could then only become a reality if the EU and UK come to an agreement on the terms of the scheme, and then refine the fine details.

Basically we’re talking years if it happens at all, and there’s plenty of steps along the way that could derail the whole process.

Don’t start packing just yet.

SHOW COMMENTS