If Germany classified the Moselle in a high-risk Covid zone on Sunday and now imposes a test of 48 hours maximum to enter its territory, France has obtained that the border with the department is not completely closed, thus relieving its 16,000 cross-border workers.

The situation in Moselle worries across the Rhine, and has pushed Germany to take measures.

Germany on Sunday classified the department in a high-risk Covid zone, and a test dating back to 48 hours maximum will now be necessary to enter German territory.

A decision that the French government "regrets", but which could have been more radical.

After long negotiations, Berlin has in fact given up on applying a virtual border closure such as that imposed on the Czech Republic and Austria. 

"We avoided the domino effect"

Paris has been asking Berlin for more than a week for more than a week, while the Moselle, because of its incidence rate, should have passed into a "risk zone" for the Germans for more than a week.

But diplomacy has accelerated.

"We avoided the domino effect", rejoices the Quai d'Orsay.

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At the maneuver, Emmanuel Macron, in discussion with Angela Merkel all week.

It was the Chancellor in person who announced to the French President on Friday that the Moselle was going to switch.

It was then up to Clément Beaune, French Secretary of State for European Affairs, to try to clear the file until Sunday evening. 

Berlin wanted to impose the PCR test

Result: no border closure, a small victory for France and its 16,000 cross-border workers, who will nevertheless have to take a test every 48 hours.

Here again, the negotiations were tight.

Berlin wanted a PCR test, but Paris obtained that the test to be provided could be an antigen. 

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The current measures are taken until further notice, but the Moselle is the illustration of two visions of the management of the pandemic.

On the one hand, France, which now promotes "living with the Covid-19" and tries to limit the restrictions.

On the other, Germany, which would like to eradicate the virus and preach the hard way.