• Coronavirus The Commission asks the 27 to reopen connections with the United Kingdom

Each member state will continue to decide what measures it takes, including closing borders, to contain the spread of the coronavirus mutation detected in the United Kingdom, after the European Commission asked the 27 to lift travel restrictions to guarantee freedom of movement. of people and goods this Tuesday.

After meeting this afternoon, the ambassadors of the 27 EU countries "took note" of the Commission's recommendations, but they

will maintain the measures taken unilaterally in relation to the crisis in the United Kingdom

- a dozen countries have banned the flights with the island-, and they will reconsider "when there is more scientific evidence on the nature of the new strain of the virus," community sources have explained.

Of course, the capitals undertake to restore the transport of goods and

maintain free movement within the Schengen area

.

Despite the insistence of the Commission, borders remain a national competence, and Member States have been unable to agree on how to manage a new crisis.

It's not the first time.

National responses have been prioritized over European ones since the pandemic restrictions began in March this year and later, when they were lifted.

Even so, the 27 will continue to be regularly informed of the evolution of the situation and some countries such as France have already announced the lifting of the measures.

The European Commission on Tuesday asked the 27 to reopen air and rail connections with the British territory to facilitate essential travel and the transport of goods.

Brussels proposed in exchange to increase controls and advise against travel to British territory to limit the spread of the new strain of coronavirus detected on the island.

At least until December 31st, the United Kingdom continues to be part of the European area of ​​free movement.

This is why the Commission insists that, in principle, Member States should not refuse entry of people traveling from British territory.

"Widespread travel bans should not prevent thousands of EU and UK citizens from returning home," Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said in a statement.

The Commission further required that essential travel be facilitated, particularly for health workers who in principle should not be required to isolate themselves, and transport workers who, Brussels said, "should be exempted from any ban on traveling through any border "and suggests antigen testing to avoid the potential impact on connections,

particularly in the transport of goods that could lead to supply problems

.

Given the notable increase in cases of Covid-19, particularly in England, the Commission also requested that the public authorities of the member states increase controls to detect potential mutations or cases of the new variant of the virus, especially among those who have been in United Kingdom in the last 14 days.

"One last push"

The crisis in the United Kingdom coincides with the last blows of the negotiation for a post-Brexit agreement, which enters its final phase just nine days after the end of the transition period, and still far from an agreement.

Ambassadors also addressed the issue.

"We are at a crucial moment, we are going to give one last push," said Michel Barnier, EU chief negotiator, en route to the meeting of the 27 ambassadors. According to EU sources, Barnier assured the 27 that

"the Most of the issues are preliminarily closed or very close to being agreed

.

"

However, fishing remains the last stumbling block.

"Unfortunately, the United Kingdom is not moving enough to achieve a fair fishing agreement," the negotiator said according to the same source.

An agreement that London and Brussels have been haggling over for weeks.

Negotiations have intensified in recent days to try to reach an understanding that will make it possible to close a text before the end of the year, which could be provisionally approved if the European Parliament finally refuses to give its approval before January by understand that they don't have enough time to scrutinize it.

If it does not arrive,

"the EU will not close its door to the United Kingdom and is willing to continue negotiating beyond January 1,"

said Barnier, during his audience with the ambassadors.

Although the member states want to shelve the negotiation as soon as possible.

The Commission has already warned that when the transition period ends, the

United Kingdom will be a third state

and that under the circumstances, it would enter the black list of countries to which the EU advises against travel.

The return to border closure could be back on the table then.

Brussels is preparing for a non-agreement

and has put on the table a battery of unilateral, temporary and reciprocity-based measures by the United Kingdom to limit the impact of a possible non-agreement, especially on fishing activity and borders.

If not, on January 1 the images of trucks stacked in huge queues in Dover, trapped, could be repeated again.

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