LondonElite

The consensus on that is that it was leaked to two newspapers as a test ballon that popped.

yurtripper

Would that be Torygraph and Mail perhaps?

LondonElite

Correct

flyingfkb

No, while Germany has not closed the border to Belgium like they did with France, Denmark, Luxemburg, Austria and Switzerland the border is not open to non-essential travel and border controls are in place. The Belgian police will only let German citizens leave Belgium but not let them enter Belgium. This rule is in place until May 8th but I think the will extend it.

Traveling to Europe for is only allowed for EU, UK, Swiss, Lichtenstein, Norwegian, Iclandic citiziens or people having residence permit of are a family member of such a citizens. In addition the right of free movement within Schengen is mostly temporarily suspended. This rules is in place until May 15th. We have to see what will happen in the next week.

oliver2002

German industry never shut down, the only thing that closed was travel, retail, automotive and restaurants. Unlike America, where 70% of GDP is driven by consumer sentiment, German Manufacturing drives the economy and stayed open. What is coming online this week is school, retail and some services. International longhaul travel is very unlikely to resume until late summer.

LondonElite

Having given this a bit more thought, it should be clear that the strategy of entering Germany via Belgium or the Netherlands is doomed to failure, unless there is a complete relaxation of rules in the near future.

Firstly, at some point if you are going to get into Schengen, you'll get a Schengen stamp in your passport. To get in to Germany via these two countries (presumably with the car you rented), you'd have to hope that the border is open on both sides and you are not stopped, especially on the German side. As I've said above, that is not guaranteed. You'd then have to hope that you are not stopped by police during your entire time in Germany. With a foreign license plate, I'm not sure you can avoid that. And the hotel you stay in will probably ask for your passport. At some point you're going to have to leave Schengen. You won't be able to do it from Germany (the BP at the airport will see your entry stamp from when you were not permitted to travel to Germany, you'd then have to lie about when you entered Germany, possibly having to show evidence of this, which you won't be able to) or tell the truth and face the consequences. Which means you'll need to go back to where you came from, which in turn means crossing the border again.

I think you need to face the fact that this trip will not be possible until non-essential travel is once again permitted.

oliver2002

Not to mention that all hotels in Germany are currently closed for leisure travellers

LondonElite

Well, and that small detail too!

NWplatinum

Not so anymore. Germany is opening hotels May 28-30, business associates there told me today. I’m wondering if the German border will be easy (easier?) to get into when hotels open, especially if you self-quarantine? I’d just wonder if I have a month long hotel stay, they’ll allow me to enter and tell me to self-quarantine which I am happy to do. I really wonder if there’s a way to talk your way into the country assuming you have a negative COVID test to prove your health. Then with a long duration hotel booked will self quarantine?

LondonElite

Until border restrictions are lifted (absolutely zero talk about that now) there is no way of blagging your way into the country.

oliver2002

There was talk about the borders, the interior and foreign minister categorically stated that the borders stay closed till June. Considering the Covid19 situation/numbers is about to explode in the US I'm pretty sure all EU countries will keep the restrictions on people coming from the US. Similar to the restrictions on China earlier in the year.

NWplatinum

Please understand rules and regulations are literally changing day to day. Germans themselves don’t even know for certain when the borders will open. The only reason I found out was the article you posted June 17. So things can rapidly change.

offerendum

Indeed, but it's more than unlikely they change that way that borders are opened earlier or soon. Also I think others are right the US with the current tactic will considered as high risk territory and while borders to Denmark or Austria may fully open in June (or perhaps even May) I can't see it for the US. If you follow the current discussion in Germany I think it's pretty clear you won't have a chance to enter Germany. Also consider many hotels are still open and were all the time but you can't stay as a tourist. Many hotels also sell their rooms as daytime office.

mcbg1

What about Canada? What are the odds Europe will open their borders to us by fall?

LondonElite

We don’t know. Ask again in a month.