European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participate in a media conference after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, March 9, 2020. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Brussels on Monday for talks with European Union officials amid a standoff between Ankara and Brussels over sharing of responsibility for refugees and migrants. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)

EU will Close its Borders to All Nonessential Travel to Fight Coronavirus

نشر في Mar 17, 2020

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants the European Union to put in place a 30-day ban on people entering the bloc unless their travel is essential, in an effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

On the eve of an EU summit via video conference, Von der Leyen said Monday, “I propose to the heads of states and government to introduce temporary restrictions on nonessential travel to the European Union.

“The less travel, the more we can contain the virus,” she said in a video message.

Von der Leyen says that people with long-term EU residency or who are family members of European citizens, plus diplomats, doctors and healthcare workers could be exempted from the ban. Transport workers also could be exempt to help keep goods flowing.

Source: Agenceis