France tightens Covid controls at German border

The French government said on Thursday it would tighten controls at the German border to fight Covid-19 which is spreading faster in the eastern Moselle region than elsewhere in France.

From Monday, cross-border workers commuting between Germany and Moselle will have to undergo a weekly PCR test before being allowed across, Health Minister Olivier Veran and European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said in a joint statement.

The move follows a warning from the German government last week that it was considering expanding new travel restrictions to its French border over the rise in coronavirus variants in the Moselle region.

It comes as EU leaders held a video summit to discuss Covid-related issues, including border closures, over which Germany and other members have been rapped by the European Commission.

French workers regularly crossing the border with Luxembourg are not targeted by the new requirement.

Elsewhere, the current rule that travellers other than cross-border workers arriving from another EU country must present a negative PCR test remains in force.

The French ministers said that joint French-German border police patrols “could be reinforced” to ensure compliance.

Asked last week about the situation in France, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said Berlin was “continuing to monitor the situation and continually reviewing our measures to fight the pandemic”.

Seibert’s comments came shortly after Beaune urged Germany not to close its borders with France.

“We do not want Germany to shut the border completely,” he said.