During the plenary session (14-17 September 2020) of the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate the lack of coordination regarding COVID-19 health assessments and risk classification and its consequences for the Schengen area. They are set to call for a common EU approach.

Brussels

debate

plenary session

RANGEL, Paulo (EPP, PT)

Free movement of persons (T2)

healthcare safety (T)

REYNDERS, Didier (BE, EC)

ROTH, Michael (DE)

TRILLET-LENOIR, Véronique (Renew, FR)

Coronavirus outbreak (T)

Covid-19 - EU coordination of health assessments and risk classification and the consequences on Schengen: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, Businesses and citizens has been confronted with diverging measures often adopted at very short notice and not sufficiently coordinated with other member states.

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, Our proposal is based on two foundational principles of European law when it comes to free movement, proportionality and non discrimination. These principles must be respected. They must be upheld in all restrictions enacted by member states.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, Now Schengen is at risk. And not only because of the pandemic. Never before has the Schengen area been put to the test, as in the last five years after the migration crisis of 2015, but also after increased terrorist threats. Controls at internal borders sometimes became the new normal. We are determined to change this situation.

SOUNDBITE (German), Michael ROTH, German Federal Minister of State for Europe, All those measures that Member states can adopt, and I am speaking here on behalf of the Member states, have to be proportionate, nondiscriminatory and must be consistent with European law. And of course, we need a good dose of pragmatism. After all, at the end of the day, the restrictions must be practicable, implementable, and they shouldn't represent too much of an interference in people's daily lives.

SOUNDBITE (German), Michael ROTH, German Federal Minister of State for Europe, Color coding system: So we want to have this to assist with the risk classification of certain regions and make this all clearer and more transparent. So it's not just a kind of individual one-off decision by a particular government. There will be a common coordinated European approach to these risk classification decisions which affect others, of course.

SOUNDBITE (French), V&#233;ronique TRILLET-LENOIR (RE, FR), Yesterday it was tourists, but tomorrow it will be cross-border workers, artists and others. This disorganization is going to have health repercussions, but also repercussions that are economic, cultural and scientific in nature. Free movement in the Schengen area cannot be threatened like this constantly. The health crisis must not serve as an excuse for National egotism and a lack of solidarity.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), For harmonised criteria throughout the entire European Union we must define the restrictions on a region by region basis and not on a Member state basis and have the exact same conditions for green, yellow and red zones. That's not difficult by any means. And it is the way that we are going to be able to save Schengen. To do that, there are three aspects: there is the health aspect, there is the Single internal market and there is the respect for the citizens' right. None of these are pitted against each other. They go hand-in-hand and that is how we're going to be able to have a coordinated response by the Council , so it comes down to the governments of the 27 Member states now to come up with a response.