LondonElite

Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a (non-blanket) travel ban into the EU for 30 days...details to follow

Dan1113

Uncertain if it is EU or Schengen.

ChrisBub

Here are the details - https://www.politico.eu/article/von-...-travel-to-eu/

From what she said at the presser, it's intended as a ban on non-essential travel to Schengen, with other EU states and UK citizens allowed to enter but non-EU citizens not allowed into Schengen aside from for essential purposes. There will be some exemptions. Details should slowly come out. All 27 EU countries need to agree for it to come into force, and it will last at least 30 days.

LondonElite

I believe it is EU rather than Schengen, but expect Switzerland to agree similar measures.

Sjoerd

Von der Leyen mentioned EU countries and non-EU Schengen countries.

Dan1113

Press really seem unsure.

TPJ

Happening right now - it is Schengen, not EU:

https://twitter.com/EU_Commission?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

LondonElite

v.d. Leyen keeps saying European Union in her speech, rather than Schengen.

notquiteaff

Yes. EU plus four Schengen-associated countries (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein)

ChrisBub

I think the intention is to have buy-in from all EU member states as they will have to sign off on the measures, in whichever form they come (my guess is an EU Directive). The Schengen zone will not allow non-essential travel (but as the BBC's correspondent here has said, there are lots of exemptions - including all EU citizens who are not within the Schengen zone, e.g. Ireland, Romania, etc). They aim basically to discourage each government from taking individual measures which could restrict the flow of goods, cross border workers, health equipment etc.

To be clear, each member state is entitled to enforce border controls on their own border for a short period of time within the Schengen zone, but that must be notified to EU. The issue now is that pretty much every country is doing it and measures are constantly changing, and with for example the proclamations from France and Germany at the beginning that medical equipment should not be exported from their borders, that raised a lot of concerns as regards how things could be managed within the single market.

As soon as I get sight of the legal texts I'll try to clarify further. Legally (as in under EU treaties) it would be impossible for EU to have a measure which restricts movement into Schengen to Schengen only citizens as that would be contrary to free movement of ALL EU citizens.

TL; DR - EU wants to keep goods and workers and essential materials moving within the EU as a whole + EEA, but will have a Schengen zone non-essential travel measure in there for non-EU citizens (not non-Schengen citizens) until things seem to come under control (and yes, in this case as UK is in transition period, UK citizens are counted as EU citizens and will be expected to apply whatever other measures EU decides on where it doesn't already have an opt-out under treaties when the 27 heads of government meet).

Dan1113

If anyone wants to read about the legal side of this, see this thread...

Schengen only to start, will ask non-EU Schengen to join, will invite UK to join too.

justsawaufo

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...orrow-11958658

"All trips between non-European countries and the EU and the Schengen zone will be suspended for 30 days,"

GUWonder

That quote is not accurate. It should read as "most trips" not "all trips" since there is a rather extensive list of exemptions built into this travel ban (just as there are with most of the other coronavirus-related travel bans).

LondonElite

UK is invited to join the travel restriction zone. Would make sense if it did.

warakorn

Not true!
EU/EEA/UK citizens + foreigners with residence permits (e.g. for work or family reasons) in the respective EU/EEA/UK countries are still allowed to enter their respective ​​​​​​​EU/EEA/UK country.