COVID-19 - Guidance on the implementation of the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU, on the facilitation of transit arrangements for the repatriation

The European Commission adopted today aguidance document on the implementation of the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU (PDF).

In the context of the common European response to the outbreak of COVID-19, on 16 March 2020 the European Commission adopted a Communication to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council (COM(2020)115) calling for a temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU in view of COVID-19.

Therefore Member States have adopted national measures to ensure coordinated action at the external borders of the EU.

In order to assist the Member States in implementing these new rules, the European Commission today adopted a guidance document, based on input from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Together with guidelines concerning the exercise of the free movement of workers (PDF), this guidance document responds to requests made in the Statement of the Members of the European Council of 26 March 2020 (PDF) to facilitate transit arrangements for repatriated citizens and seeks to address citizens’ and companies’ practical concerns about the measures taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus, as well as of national authorities implementing the measures.

More information

• Guidance document on the implementation of the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU (PDF)
• Guidelines concerning the exercise of the free movement of workers (PDF)
• Press release "Coronavirus: Commission presents practical guidance on implementing the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU"
• Press release "Coronavirus: Commission presents practical guidance to ensure the free movement of critical workers"
• Communication to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council (COM(2020)115)
• Statement of the Members of the European Council of 26 March 2020 (PDF)
• European Commission’s webpage "Corona virus response"
• European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex)
• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)