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Calls for an easing of border restrictions
May 2020While a circular issued by France’s Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, dated 12 May has just extended France’s internal border controls until 31 October 2020,1 there have been growing calls to give attention to the difficulties faced in border territories, notably for the 360,000 cross-border workers who cross the French border every day to work in a neighbouring country.
The President of France’s Assemblée Nationale, Richard Ferrand, and his German counterpart have called for the rapid reopening of borders between European countries. More info [FR]
The Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly, which is co-chaired by Christophe Arend, the LREM MP for Forbach, and Andreas Jung, Vice-President of the CDU-CSU group in the Bundestag, has adopted a position in favour of reopening the entire border between Germany and France.
Brigitte Klinkert, President of the Haut-Rhin Department, and the MEPs Fabienne Keller and Anne Sander have issued a joint appeal to the French Prime Minister to reopen the country’s borders immediately. More info [FR]
On the German side, political pressure is mounting for the border with France to be completely reopened. German ministers and MPs, and mayors of border region municipalities have issued many calls to this end.
On the Franco-Belgian border, a petition to remove border controls with neighbouring countries has received 7,000 signatures.
On the Franco-Swiss border, elected representatives in the Greater Geneva area have issued a press release calling for the cross-border situation to be taken into account and for the ending of systematic customs checks. More info [FR]
On the Franco-Spanish border, Michel Pelieu, President of the Hautes-Pyrenées Department, has alerted the French President, Emmanuel Macron, to the economic need to remove the uncertainty surrounding tourism and cross-border movements to and from Spain in the run-up to the summer holidays. More info [FR]
Lastly, around 20 MPs have also called on the Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, to ease the restrictions on the EU’s internal borders. More info [FR]
Circular n°6167 - 12 May 2020 [FR]
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