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EU imposes entry ban for 30 days in bid to slow coronavirus pandemic

The European Union will impose an entry ban on travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days to battle the spread of the coronavirus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.

Published: 17 March 2020 20:43 CET
Updated: 17 March 2020 22:03 CET

EU imposes entry ban for 30 days in bid to slow coronavirus pandemic

There are already checks at some internal EU borders, such as this one between Poland and Germany. Photo: DPA

Member states “agreed to impose an entry ban” into the bloc, with only nationals of EFTA countries and Britain exempt from the restriction, said Merkel.

“That should apply for 30 days. Germany will implement it immediately,” added the leader of Europe's biggest economy.

Special exceptions will be made for European citizens and residents coming home, although it's expected that some countries will ask them to self-isolate for two weeks.

With countries severely curtailing travel to prevent COVID-19 contagion, Germany had earlier issued a warning against travel worldwide.

The bloc is taking “coordinated action to bring back stranded travellers,” said Merkel.

“The union and its member states will do whatever it takes,” said European Council President Charles Michel.

Earlier, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that thousands of Germans were stranded abroad as airlines slashed flights and borders closed.

Several controls on internal borders within the EU have already been introduced in a bid to stall the virus spread.

On Monday Germany introduced tighter border controls with five countries, including France and Denmark.

READ ALSO: Drivers turned back as Germany partially closes borders to fight coronavirus

Member comments

Anonymous - 18 March 2020 at 07:34 CET

The UK should be included because they are virtually operating as normal.
Anonymous - 18 March 2020 at 08:02 CET

Whats the use of this when the virus is spread almost every country in the Europe. This has to be taken care even before its entry. Now there is no point of closing the borders. Dumb EU

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Switzerland sees record high immigration from European countries

Lots of data indicates that Switzerland needs foreign workers to fill job vacancies.

Now a report from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) confirms the importance that employees from the European Union and EFTA (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) have had for Switzerland’s labour market and economy in general.

That is why “demand for foreign labour was strong in Switzerland in 2023,” SECO said in its annual report published on Monday, which assessed the impact that the Free Movement of Persons agreement (FMPA) has had on the country’s employment.

In 2023, 68,000 people from EU and EFTA countries came to work in Switzerland, according to SECO, driven by “employment growth that has significantly exceeded the EU average.”

Why does Switzerland need EU / EFTA workers?

Simply put, they are needed for the country’s economy to function optimally.

As SECO pointed out, while the number of pensioners is growing (due mostly to Switzerland’s exceptionally high life expectancy), “Swiss working-age population has experienced only slow growth over the past 20 years.”

“The country’s economic growth is not possible without immigration,” said Simon Wey, chief economist at the Swiss Employers’ Union. “We need foreign labour if we want to maintain our level of prosperity.”

READ ALSO: How EU immigrant workers have become ‘essential’ for Switzerland

In what sectors is the need for these workers the highest?

“A large number of people from the EU coming to work in Switzerland are highly qualified and are employed in demanding activities in high-growth branches of the service sector, such as the branch of special, scientific and technical activities, that of information and communication or the health sector;” SECO’s report said.

But the Swiss economy also recruits EU nationals as low-skilled labour, particularly in the hotel and catering industry, as well as construction and industry.

Why are only people from the EU / EFTA states recruited?

The reason is that, unlike nationals of third countries, people from the EU / EFTA have an almost unlimited access to the Swiss employment market, thanks precisely to the FMPA.

Also, those coming from the neighbour countries (as most of Switzerland’s foreign labour force does), have the required language skills to easily integrate into the workforce in language-appropriate Swiss regions.

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