External borders of the EU – Q&A from the press briefing (17 Jul. 2020)
Q. The external borders of the Schengen Area have been open to the residents of 15 countries since July 1.
- Is this opening based on reciprocity? And in the opposite case, what are the political, economic and legal implications?
- Japan extended its border restrictions until further notice. Are Japanese tourists permitted to visit France?
A. On the basis of the recommendations adopted by the EU Council on June 30 and July 16, France decided to lift restrictions at its external borders to people arriving from several third countries determined on the basis of health criteria. The list of countries will be reexamined regularly with our European partners and will take into account changes in their respective health situations.
As for the rules for entering French territory, we refer you to the Interior Ministry.