Controls at land borders are re-established within the framework of the containment measures of COVID-19


The objective of this measure, like the rest of the resolutions adopted under the Royal Decree of the State of Alarm, is to protect the health and safety of citizens and contain the coronavirus.

Specifically, as of this midnight, only Spanish citizens will be allowed to enter national territory by land; people residing in Spain; cross-border workers and those who prove, documentary, causes of force majeure or a situation of need.

The resolution states that this restriction will not apply to the transport of merchandise "in order to ensure the continuity of economic activity and to preserve the supply chain."

The measure also does not affect foreign personnel accredited as a member of diplomatic missions, consular offices and international organizations located in Spain, provided that these are displacements linked to the performance of official functions.

In this way, Article 28 of the Schengen Borders Code is activated, which allows for the temporary restoration of controls at internal borders in situations such as the current one.

Health protection

The resolution explains that the measures adopted in the Royal Decree on the state of alarm to deal with COVID-19, as well as those decreed for the same purpose by other Member States of the European Union and by third countries, "directly or indirectly entail serious restrictions on mobility within the territory itself, upon entry or exit ".

The reestablishment of land borders is adopted due to the need to "enable the possibility of restricting those movements of people who are not going to be able to have continuity up to the programmed destination, either because they are incompatible with the measures adopted within Spanish territory, either for not being possible its continuation in or towards other territories ".

In the context of virus containment efforts, the need to "give preference to more urgent movements of people or goods" has also been taken into account.

Coordination with the European Union

The decision will be communicated to the responsible bodies of the European Commission, to the other Member States of the European Union and to the States associated with Schengen.

This morning the minister participated in a meeting via videoconference with the interior and health ministers of the rest of the countries of the European Union, where has announced Spain's intention to reestablish controls at its land borders.

The meeting was also attended by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson; that of Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides; and that of Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič.



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