Coronavirus Threatens European Unity

Countries are closing their borders, and Brussels is facing a crisis.

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“Papiere bitte!” (Papers please!) is an order that hasn’t been uttered in a long time at the border with Germany, but as a citizen of Luxembourg (a small monarchy between Germany, France, and Belgium) I would now hear it if I were trying to enter. Berlin has ordered the closure of the borders to Luxembourg, France, Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland. Guards with masks are checking cars, allowing only daily commuters and government officials to exit and re-enter the country. 

According to the Department for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission, nine countries have started to reinforce their borders of the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19): Norway, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Austria. These restrictions apply to varying degrees, and are allowed for an initial time of 10 days under the Schengen Agreement.

The Schengen Agreement, signed in 1985, is a European treaty that abolished existing border checks. Under these rules you can drive from Portugal in the very south of Europe to Estonia in the north without answering the question “business or pleasure?”  In airports, traveling within Schengen countries means that the only person checking for ID is the airport staff who verify that ticket information matches the passenger. Those who are not permanent residents or citizens of the EU need to apply for a Schengen visa, granting them access to all signatory countries for a certain amount of time. Schengen visa holders will be checked for their passport only upon entry and exit of the zone, meaning they will also travel between European countries without being stopped by border patrol.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Visibly

    Have you thought about that one very important reason for closing borders is to stimulate citizens from travelling at this time? My sister was infected in Austria, travelled back by flights via London and then to Norway. All people in her travel company were infected. How many did they infect on their way back home to Norway? We have have even introduced emergency laws that prevent people travelling to their cottages, in remote communities, but without resources to deal with many sick patients. We discussed Contagion here on the Dispatch the other day. This is Contagion, but with much less mortality. Even if infected, the large majority of us will survive. And therefore EU and Europe will survive. With hardship yes, but as a continent, absolutely no.
    BTW, so interesting that USA suddenly have become very «socialistic».

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  2. Avatar photo
    Bill Nelson

    I suspect that the EU will find a way to increase it's control after this is over. The EU and it's primary supports will spin this, particularly the Italy situation, as a need for more "oversight" and regulation by the EU over the individual nations. There are elements in each national government which exist because of the EU.

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  3. Avatar photo
    Jason

    A common market and ease of travel are the right way to go. Attempting to determine individual production quotas and regulate the mundane details of the lives of a continent is an imperial concept. Freed from this, Europe could shake its malaise after this crisis.

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  4. Avatar photo
    Jason

    I am thinking, on the heels of the Afghanistan "deal" and the internal focus the virus recovery will have (especially if it's really a depression), I think as we come out of this it will be solidly in an America first mood.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Jason

      An observation, not an endorsement.

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