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Tag: Borders

  • President Tinubu told to reopen land borders

    President Tinubu told to reopen land borders

    Senator Shehu Sani has called on President Bola Tinubu to reopen all land borders across Nigeria.

    Sani, a former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central, said this in an interview in Abuja on Sunday.

    He said reopening of the borders was necessary to allow for free trade in line with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol.

    He said the closure of borders over the years “killed the Nigerian economy”.

    The former lawmaker said the development plunged a lot of Nigerians into abject poverty, particularly those at the border communities.

    Sani said the policy while impoverishing an average Nigerian, enriched the rich.

    “The closing of land borders has not led to enough production of food for more than 200 million Nigerians as envisaged.

    “It is disturbing to note that the past government closed down land borders and gave preference to the rich by opening sea borders for rice importation,”he said.

    Sani also said “the policy also did not stop terrorism.

    “We have had more problems of terrorism, which shows that it was simply futile.”

    The former lawmaker said besides the economic challenges being encountered, the shutting down of borders against other African countries was disturbing.

    “As Africans, we should not shut our borders to our neighbours.

    “Let us be mindful that over half a million Nigerians are there as refugees in Benin Republic, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.

    “So, how do we close our borders to them when they did not close theirs to us.

    “As Africans, we should be our brothers’ keepers,”he said.

    According to him, rather than closing borders, they  should be open to free trade while relevant agencies of government manned the borders properly.

    “To check smuggling, we have the Nigeria Customs Service , Immigration Service and security agencies.

    “You cannot have these agencies and at the same time close down our borders.

    “If we are paying them, they should be able to deliver because we cannot close down our borders forever,” he said.

    In a similar vein, Prof. Job Nmadu, an Agricultural Economist, Federal University of Technology Minna, said reopening of land borders would ease movement of legitimate goods and services.

    He said it would also generate additional revenue for goverment while providing employment for border communities.

    “The reopening of land borders will reduce illegal activities across the borders.

    “It is also in the interest of Nigeria as part of ECOWAS protocol on movement of goods and persons within free borders of member states to reopen our borders.

    “This move will equally bring down the prices of goods and services which has skyrocketed in the wake of the border closure.

    The don, who is also President, Nigerian Association of Agricultural Economists, said the reason behind the closure was not critically thought out by the past administration.

    According to him, the closure brought hardship to border communities which livelihood and sustenance depend on trading across borders on daily basis.

    Nmadu said the closure “created artificial scarcity on Nigerian side and surplus on our neighbours side, thereby increasing illegal activities.”

    He called on the Federal Government to accompany the reopening of the borders with some policies that would make it successful.

    He further said there was a need for downward review of levies, charges and commissions.

    According to him, it will reduce the tendency to engage in illegal activities across borders.

    Also, Mr Amodu Achema, the General Manager, Arewa Cottons and Allied Products Limited, said it was necessary to open the borders.

    Achema, who is also Chairman of a social group, Iko Udama, said rather than border closure, more factories should be made competetive.

    “I do not see the wisdom in closing borders.

    “In spite of the border closure, we do not have the self sufficiency in food production as canvassed.

    “Also, the things borders were closed against were still finding their way into the country.”

    The National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, said some borders were still closed.

    “There is no new development with regard to the opening of borders across the country.

    “Not all borders are opened as at today.

    “There was an initial opening of some borders by the past administration and later four additional borders were opened.

    “That is Idiroko, Kamba, Jibiya and Ikom,” he said.

    He said all land borders in the North East had yet to be reopened owing to insecurity.

    On reports in some quarters that Seme border had been reopened to importation of vehicles, Maiwada said he was not aware of such development.

    Former President Muhammadu Buhari had in August 2019, shut all land borders to encourage local production of rice and to check smuggling.

  • FG approves re-opening of Seme border for vehicle importation

    FG approves re-opening of Seme border for vehicle importation

    The Director of Road Transport in the Ministry of Transportation, Ibrahim Musa, has said the Federal Government of Nigeria approved the re-opening of the Seme land border for the importation of vehicles.

    Musa, who spoke at the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, meeting on Wednesday, organised between officials of Nigeria and Benin Republic, revealed that the development followed complaints by freight forwarders operating at the Seme border.

    “I was here with the former Minister of State for Transportation when the freight forwarders pleaded that the border should be reactivated for the free movement of goods and services.

    “The former minister made us prepare a memo to that effect. It was considered and sent to the government.”

    Similarly, the Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Command, Dera Nnadi, who also spoke at the event, lamented that the service has noticed a reduction in its revenue since the importation of vehicles through the land borders was suspended by the immediate past administration.

    Nnadi said: “The former Minister of Transportation, responding to some of our requests and from the stakeholders, promised to take them to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, one of them is how to fully open this border.

    “The Ministry has informed us that the memo has been written to FEC and it was adopted and that it would be given to the new government, he assured us that all the requests were adopted.”

  • Customs service speaks on reopening of Nigerian borders

    Customs service speaks on reopening of Nigerian borders

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has advised Nigerians not to believe the news making the rounds that borders in the country have been opened.

    NCS added that Nigerians should also disregard the purported viral video showing the  reopening of the border.

    The Service, through the National Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, described the video as malicious to mislead Nigerians.

    ALSO READ || FG approves re-opening of Seme border for vehicle importation

    Maiwada who debunked the rumour during a live show on the populous Human Rights Radio Brekete Family in Abuja on Tuesday morning, while urging Nigerians to always embrace authentic news emanating from the right channels.

    “For over a year, Idiroko and other selected approved borders are opened for legitimate trade. It is only the borders in the northeastern part of the country that are closed due to security issues. But major land borders in the South-West, North-West, and Ikang Border in the South South are all opened for legitimate trade,” he said.

    Speaking further, the PRO said that the activities of the Service are critical to national development considering its pivotal roles in the area of revenue generation, suppressing smuggling and trade facilitation.

    He stated that the Service, under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) CFR, has recorded various accomplishments over the years in the area of revenue generation, restructuring and reforms.

    “In the last couple of years, there were a lot of significant events that brought about a paradigm shift in the activities of the Nigeria Customs Service. First of all, we used to have a sixty-three-year-old law that was not in line with the reality of 21st Century Customs.

    “Today we have a brand new law called Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. A legal framework that will enhance our performance,” he stated.

    He added that many things have changed even within Customs, adding that Nigeria Customs Service recruitment has changed with transparent processes based on federal character principles.

    In the area of technology, CSC Maiwada said that the Service has succeeded in embracing a modern system in its processes and procedures, having realized the importance of automation – which according to him, has resulted in creating a new program called Fast-Track 2.0 for compliant traders, non-intrusive inspection among many other initiatives.

  • Ignore NANS Sudan, Stay indoors – FG tells Nigerian Students in war-torn country

    Ignore NANS Sudan, Stay indoors – FG tells Nigerian Students in war-torn country

    The Nigerian Embassy in  Khartoum, Sudan has asked Nigerian students trapped in the war-torn country to disregard the National Association of Nigerian Students, telling them to converge somewhere for evacuation.

    A report had surfaced online  that NANS Sudan in a statement dated Sunday asked students trapped in the country to prepare for evacuation to Ethiopia.

    The fighting  started between Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s forces and the rival Rapid Support Forces of his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, which has led to the death of hundreds and left many foreign nationals stranded.

    It started on April 15 over a dispute on the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army.

    Announcing evacuation plans on Sunday, the student body asked the students to prepare a $100 transport fee as well.

    However, the Nigerian Embassy in a circular signed by its representative, H.R Garko, countered NANS, saying it “wishes to inform all students in Sudan, that they should disregard the notice circulated by NANS in Sudan, calling students to converge at the three locations namely: African International University, NANSS Office and El-Razi University, for evacuation or to bring 100 or $200 for evacuation.”

    It said as the Embassy had earlier informed students, “you are therefore requested to stay calm and remain indoors, while the embassy is working on final approval to commence evacuation.”

    The Embassy maintained that it was still dangerous to embark on a journey toward the borders of Sudan without securing clearance and guarantee from Sudanese authorities.

    “The embassy wishes to reassure the Nigerian students that their safety and wellbeing is of priority concern,” the statement added.

    Recall that the  Federal Government through the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had on Friday described as “risky” evacuating Nigerians from Sudan.

    NIDCOM on Friday had said although the Nigerian Mission in Sudan and the National Emergency Management Agency had put in place arrangements to evacuate Nigerians, it was risky for any flight to operate during this period of war.

    The conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Force, has claimed over 400 lives with about 3,500 injured.

    The clashes have also displaced thousands of civilians who fled the capital, Khartoum, as the violence enters the second week.

    Until recently, the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel al-Burhan, and the RSF paramilitary group, headed by General Mohamed Dagalo, were allies.

    The Federal Government has noted that evacuation has improved difficult for Nigerian students in the country because Sudan closed its land and shut down its airports.

     

  • 2023: Atiku to reopen Nigeria’s borders – Tambuwal

    2023: Atiku to reopen Nigeria’s borders – Tambuwal

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Saturday said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would reopen the nation’s borders, if elected at the 2023 general elections.

    Tambuwal, the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council made the assertion at the PDP campaign rally in Illela Local Government Area of the state.

    According to him, the PDP presidential candidate has better plans for the country.

    “These include reopening of the nation’s borders, addressing challenges of insecurity, and the provision of basic necessities of life for Nigerians,” he said.

    The governor added that his administration in the state had a lot of sympathy for the people of Illela being among the worst hit areas by banditry attacks.

    “However, in spite of challenges of insecurity, economic recess, and the negative impact of COVID-19, we have executed several projects under healthcare, education, water supply and social interventions, among others,” he said.

    In his remarks, Alhaji Yusuf Sulaiman, the DG, Sokoto Campaign Management Council, asked the people of the area to elect continuity in governance by casting their votes to PDP.

    Malam Sa’idu Umar, the PDP governorship candidate pledged that the International market project at Illela wpuld  receive the attention it deserved from his administration, if elected.

    Also at Kware LGA, Umar said he owed special attention to the people of the state in general.

    He promised to sustain the legacies of Tambuwal and initiate more developmental project, if elected.

    On his part, Alhaji Mannir Dan’iya, the Sokoto North Senatorial candidate of PDP and incumbent Deputy Governor attested to the current administration’s successes in the state.

    He urged the people of the state to reciprocate the gesture by voting for PDP, adding that many developmental projects were planned for Kware LGA in the 2023 budget.

  • Atiku under attack for pledging to re-open all Nigerian borders

    Atiku under attack for pledging to re-open all Nigerian borders

    The Federal Government (FG) has described as unfortunate the pledge by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to reopen all Nigerian borders if elected president.

    Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had made the pledge during his campaign rally in Katsina on Tuesday,

    But the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Atiku in his desperation for power would not hesitate to return Nigeria to the era of unbridled inflow of weapons and massive importation of food to the detriment of local farmers.

    The minister spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the 15th edition of the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) Administration Scorecard Series.

    The scorecard initiative, which was launched as part of efforts to showcase the achievements of the Buhari administration, had as guest the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed  Dingyadi.

    According to the minister, Atiku’s pledge, if implemented, would put millions of Nigerians out of job as well as ruin the fertiliser companies and the rice mills that had grown exponentially in number since Nigeria shut its land borders in 2019.

    He added that the planned policy by Atiku would worsen the security situation in Nigeria by throwing open all the borders and allowing  massive inflow of small arms and light weapons into the country.

    Mohammed said by the statement, Atiku had informed Nigerians that he would reverse all the efforts made by the Buhari administration to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of many staples, especially rice.

    He added that the millions of rice farmers would lose their jobs when imported rice floods the country while hundreds of thousands of Nigerians working in the various rice mills established under Buhari administration would also be jobless.

    “By that statement, Alhaji Atiku will shut down most, if not all, of our new fertiliser blending companies, with thousands of jobs going down the drain.

    “Also, by his declaration, the former vice president has told Nigerians that he will worsen security in the country by allowing arms and ammunition to flow in unhindered into the country,” he said.

    The minister said the Buhari administration had increased the number of fertiliser blending plants in the country from 10 in 2015 to 142 presently and the rice mills in the country from 10 in 2015 to 80 integrated rice mills.

    He also disclosed that 10 large scale integrated rice mills were currently being built across the country.

    “His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, may also want to know that while Nigeria was the number one export destination for rice in 2014, our country has now moved to number 79, according to Thai Authorities.

    “By throwing open the borders indiscriminately as he has pledged, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has simply announced that he intends to return Nigeria to the number one importer of Thai rice in 2023!

    “For sheer expediency, Alhaji Atiku, a former Customs Officer who rose to the pinnacle of his career, is ready to erase the gains made since 2015 in pushing Nigeria closer to self-sufficiency in the production of staples,” he said.

    Mohammed warned that the promise by Atiku was a red flag to Nigerians who, in line with the admonition of the president had been striving to ” produce what they eat and eat what they produce.”

  • Babandede: Re-imagining and Remaking Immigration – Dakuku Peterside

    Babandede: Re-imagining and Remaking Immigration – Dakuku Peterside

    By Dakuku Peterside

    The public sector in Nigeria is not a hopeless case, as we are sometimes all made to believe. It may not be effective and efficient. And this reflects on the quality of services – whether you need a permit to operate your business, taking a jab for Covid 19, going for a new e- Passport, processing a driver’s license, or even paying your tax, you are likely to encounter unfriendly, insouciant, and inept public servants operating in an uninspiring and disorderly manner. However, amid these, there has been a gradual emergence of a new generation of forward-looking, reform-minded public servants that raise the bar of optimism that Africa and especially Nigeria, can be an effective and efficient institution model. The Dora Akinyulis, Ngozi Okonjo- Iwealas, Ifueko Omogui- Okaraus, Oby Ezekwesilis, are shining examples of leaders who proved that reforming public institutions to deliver services effectively and efficiently is possible.

    The cacophony of noise emanating from discordant shouts of insecurity, poverty and unemployment has overshadowed some of the brilliant examples of nascent visionary leaders making great waves in public sector transformation or reforms now. We have not done very well to celebrate these shining examples of leadership to encourage new leaders to toe the line of public sector reforms. I will plead that we change this paradigm immediately and give attention to these ebullient and exemplary leaders making a significant difference in their mandate areas. We need to replicate these models and raise a critical mass of reform-minded public sector leaders for our country to achieve its full development aspirations.
    Among the many reasons to do this are the truisms in the ancient Igbo or Ijaw wisdom translated “If you thank a woman that cooked good beans, she will cook even more” and “a kid watches the Ewe as she chews the grass to learn how to chew grass”. Simply put, the more we spotlight and encourage these great leaders publicly, the more they do more incredible innovative things for the country. And the possibility of young leaders learning from and emulating them is high with a net positive effect on efficiency and productivity, especially in the public sector.

    After careful investigation and careful analysis of some of the leaders in this category, I singled out the immediate past Czar of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr.Muhammad Babandede. A quintessential reformer, a cerebral administrator, and an innovative, visionary leader who led the reform efforts of NIS in the six years he held sway as Comptroller General. I can boldly state, with no equivocation, that he led an impactful transformation. This piece is certainly not to shower praises on this humble but astute administrator. Instead, I will allow facts to speak for themselves as the cliché goes. I must also confess that although this my brother and friend commands my utmost respect, my judgements are objective and came because of my conviction of the impact of his contributions in reforming Nigeria Immigration Service. And especially my having had first-hand experience of the difficulties and challenges of effecting positive reforms in a public sector, in my case NIMASA.

    Mr. Babandede, popularly called by Immigration Officers “the Digital CGI”, led massive transformation of Nigeria immigration as an institution and its services . He used innovative strategies, partnering with local and international experts to effect a-360-degree turnaround of the organization in all aspects; operational, procedural, structural, cultural, performance and human capital management. Even his critics cannot but notice his building of the Technology Building – a physical statement to his belief in using technology to improve service
    delivery and the various Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) he strategically located at border formations. He also created the Migrant e- Registration centres, the model Passport Application Processing Centre (PAPC), the new Conference Centre at Service Headquarters, and beautified the Service Headquarters and its environs. Aside from cultural and human capital reforms which are his flagship projects, he led the creation of numerous infrastructural projects dotting the Nigeria Immigration space. He was able to initiate the construction of Twenty (20) brand new Command Complex Offices, commissioned twelve (12) while eight (8) were at various stages of completion within the six years he held sway. This feat is not only impressive but uncommon with any government establishment in Nigeria. No doubt, every Immigration Personnel, active or retired, will relish this experience with pride.

    CGI Babandede (rtd) had a unique management style that is inclusive and modern. Always interested in evidence-based consideration of proposed policy reforms, he would constitute committees, hold Workshops and Management Retreats to make sure his management team contributed to the process, and get all stakeholders’ buy-in. At the annual conferences which were regular, he would invite past
    CGIs to share experiences and contribute to the process; this is a testimony to his team approach to management with an eye for wide- ranging consultations and thorough processing of ideas and evidence. Whilst leading the implementation of the Presidential Executive Order 1 on the Ease of Doing Business, he engaged MDAs and stakeholders at various levels and other international partners. He was outstanding in his engagement and the output of his work, which endeared him to the appointing authority.

    Babandede turned NIS into a modern organization with an excellent customer interface and public presence. Not only has the organization been more visible in the media, but records show that the media attention to NIS comes because of the impact the services the organization is making. NIS online presence is one of the most professional and well-functioning among MDAs, with great information for all stakeholders. This use of ICT has given stakeholders who use immigration services a different and positive experience. Deployment of ICT had radical net positive effect on waiting days for service delivery such as issuance or renewal of passports, visas and resident permits.
    Customers are engaged and provided with all the information they need to make informed decisions based on current realities. This is rare in Nigerian public service culture.

    Acknowledged that immigration reforms is always a complex issue and quite often political, economic and security issues stand in the way of reforms ,It is pertinent to question at this point: what specific impact his leadership has had on the core areas of service delivery of NIS? I will focus on four key areas: First, Babandede’s efforts in Border Management Reforms are noteworthy. His establishment of a Forward Operations Bases for enhanced border security across various regions has significantly contributed to much-needed control of movement in and out of Nigerian Boarders.
    For international air border control, Babandede and his team established e-gates linked with MIDAS facilities at the international airports in Kano, Lagos and Abuja respectively . MIDAS facilities were also installed at 22 Land Borders across the country for effective and efficient passenger facilitation and enhanced migration management. Under his leadership, the Chief of Mission of the UN Migration agency, IOM said ‘Nigeria has the largest, robust and most complicated IBM MIDAS in the world” . These accomplishments align with the overarching NIS Border Management Strategy he designed to guide his reform of the Border management systems and operations in Nigeria.

    The second is the Visa Reforms. In 2020 Babandede developed and unveiled the Nigeria Visa Policy( NPV2020) launched by Mr President, which aims to radically improve the visa issuing experience and services within the NIS. This policy created an innovative visa regime in line with international standards and can compete with visa regimes in developed countries of the world. He put in place a robust Visa-on- Arrival platform with the migration from manual processing to email- based and currently web-based processes. Furthermore, he unveiled the Biometric Visa Administration. This new visa regime has enhanced the aesthetics of our Visa and improved its security features. Nigeria Visa application and issuing process, timing and efficiency of delivery are at par with most developed countries in the world. The impact of this is that it has made entry into the country
    seamless and international travellers who hitherto struggled with visas are now able to come to Nigeria to do business or invest. Nigeria doors are open to all foreigners who have a positive contribution to make to our economy.

    The third is the Passport Administration Reform. Following the process and document review in the year 2017, the Babandede-led team brought out the enhanced e-Passport starting with Abuja and Ikoyi Centres. The enhanced e-passport is polycarbonate and has additional security features and comes in Five-and Ten-years validity. Babandede also created a one-stop-shop Passport Application Centre at Abuja for improved Passport service delivery. This reform enabled a self- processing environment for passport applicants. The impact of this is that you can start and finish your passport application these days within 24 hours. Even when it is not possible to collect your e- Passport on the same day, NIS staff will contact you to pick your passport when it is ready. This is a remarkable shift from the past when it took months to get a new Passport. Lately, there was a backlog due to COVID 19. NIS quickly cleared a backlog of over 230,500 applications and engaged with over 43,350 applicants who had not collected their passports to do so. There is an integration of NIN with the ePassport so that it serves as a complete identification document.
    The fourth is Migration management reform. This great reformer set out to put in place a veritable system and infrastructure to manage migration. Babandede and his team established MIDAS facility for reliable migrants’ information management system and enhanced security data. He unveiled Migration Training Centres at Abuja and Akwa Ibom, and established Migration Training Academy in Tuga. He built electronic migrants’ registration of projects, deployed the I/24-7 technology for Border Control, and created an INTERPOL platform integration. These innovative provisions have made it possible for Nigeria to control its migration, at least having accurate records of those who passed through its international gateways. As a country, we can efficiently and effectively collaborate with international partners in monitoring the global movement of people across borders.

    The last is the public engagement reform. Babandede ensured that in line with FG’s emphasis on transparency in government activities, the NIS website and social media platforms were modernized . All services and facilities on offer are on the website, and various fees, processes, and procedures for procuring facilities are also clearly stated. All NIS social media handles are active and robust. Today, NIS maintains one of the most potent social media handles among MDAs. This is part of the overall digital strategy reforms he championed.
    The official quarterly magazine for public information has remained steady, and annual report of activities and audited accounts were produced yearly under Babandede . These actions have created a degree of transparency that is uniquely NIS.

    After considering the actions and impact of the Babandede administration on NIS, I am sure every patriotic Nigerian knows he deserves all the encomiums and praises heaped on him daily by those who marvel at his leadership prowess and transformational organizational skills. Perhaps the takeaway from the Babandede years in NIS is that reforms of public sector institutions are possible with determined, innovative, and visionary leadership. The journey from an immigration service driven by manual methods, demotivated staff, mediocrity to one guided by innovation, the spirit of excellence, technology, highly motivated personnel and satisfied citizenry should serve as a vital lessonto be replicated elsewhere in our national life.

  • Nigeria to reopen borders soon – Buhari

    Nigeria to reopen borders soon – Buhari

    Nigeria is looking to reopen its land borders ‘as soon as possible’, over a year after they were closed, President Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday.

    Mr Buhari stated this during a meeting he had with governors elected on the platform of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, in Abuja.

    Nigeria shut its borders last year mainly to check smuggling and to stop the importation of agricultural produce like rice.

    Mr Buhari said on Tuesday that the closure of the borders was also an attempt to control the smuggling of weapons and drugs.

    “Now that the message has sunk in with our neighbours, we are looking into reopening the borders as soon as possible,” the president was quoted as saying by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.

  • Nigeria to reopen land borders soon, says Buhari’s minister

    Nigeria to reopen land borders soon, says Buhari’s minister

    Nigeria is set to re-open its land borders with neigbouring West African countries, following recommendation by a presidential committee on the matter.

    Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed disclosed on on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The nation shuts its borders in August 2019 to curtail illegal importation of drugs, small arms and agricultural products into the country from West Africa. Ahmed, who addressed newsmen in Abuja hinted that the land borders would be re-open soon.

    According to her, the presidential committee set up on the matter has completed its job and has recommended the reopening of the borders.

    The minister stated that the committee would soon submit its report to President Muhammadu Buhari. It is expected that the president would make a formal pronouncement announcing the opening of the borders.

  • Timeline of EU Member States Reopening Their Borders

    The Coronavirus outbreak in Europe, back in March this year, forced the European Commission to recommend the Member States to shut down all EU ports of entry for non-EU/Schengen nationals.

     

    One by one, all Member States, and the Schengen Associated countries moved on to close their borders despite that some of them tried to resist from undertaking such a measure at the beginning.

     

    First came the re-establishment of border controls where there typically aren’t due to the Schengen Agreement, and then border closures for all non-residents, exempting only those in need of entering the country for essential purposes.

     

    As the number of infection rates among the bloc saw a decrease in April and then in May, the EU started working towards the reopening of the borders and the removal of border controls.

     

    While the EU Commission will decide on June 15 whether the closure of the external Schengen Area borders should end or be extended, for third-country nationals, it is up to the Member States to open their borders.

     

    Most of these countries reopened/announced they would be opening their borders for travellers from the Schengen Area, and the non-Schengen EU states, often only to those with lower rates of infections. While some have imposed quarantine or negative COVID-19 test results, there are others that have permitted entry into their territory without any restrictions.

     

    Following, find the complete list of opened countries for travellers, and dates of warned opening, in reverse chronological order.

     

    July

     

    1, 2020

    Some Portuguese regional tourist boards including Madeira and Porto Santo, have announced they plan to reopen to international tourists from July 1. The boards have noted that travellers will need to present negative test results from within 72 hours prior to departure or be tested on arrival, paid for by the local government.

     

    July

     

    1, 2020

    Spain will grant EU travellers with permission to enter without having to quarantine. Some Spanish regions may reopen sooner than the others.

     

     

     

    July

     

    1, 2020

    Residents of Italy two regions, Sicily and Sardinia, as well as the nationals of the following 17 countries, will be able to enter the territory of Malta next month: Germany, Austria, Cyprus, Switzerland, Iceland, Slovakia, Norway, Denmark, Hungary, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Israel, Latvia, Estonia, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    France is planning to open its borders on June 15, given that the situation does not worsen in the meantime.

     

    The quarantine will not be obligatory for travellers from EU; however, such a measure can be imposed in a reciprocity move to the nationals of countries that require French citizens to go through quarantine or present negative COVID-19 test results.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    Iceland will open its borders to EU and Schengen Area travellers, while at the same time offering everyone Coronavirus tests as a way to avoid quarantine.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    Nationals of the following countries will be eligible to enter the Dutch territory: Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    Travellers from the following 29 countries will be eligible to travel to Greece for non-essential purposes: Albania, Australia, Austria, Northern Macedonia, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Estonia, Japan, Israel, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Hungary, Romania, New Zealand, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and Finland.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    Germany will lift a travel warning for non-essential trips to 31 European countries, including the UK, replacing it with individual travel warnings for each country.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to allow its citizens to travel to Germany, Iceland and Norway, by changing the travel advice for these three countries from risk level ‘orange’ to the risk level ‘yellow’.

     

     

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    Switzerland will open its borders for all European Union Member states including Britons, as well as citizens of the Schengen Associated Countries – Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland. Italians will also be permitted to enter the country despite a prior proposal to keep an entry ban for Italy in place.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    Norway and Denmark will allow each other’s citizens to enter their territories, advising travellers to respect the rules and protection measures related to the Coronavirus pandemic, in order to avoid another outbreak in any of the two countries.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    Travellers from the Schengen Area and the European Union, including the United Kingdom, will be eligible to enter Belgium, upon a decision of the National Security Council, as a part of Phase 3 of the transition plan.

     

    June

     

    15, 2020

    France and Germany plan to remove border traffic restrictions, while from May to now, both countries have gradually eased several restrictions.

     

    June

     

    5, 2020

    Slovakia opened its borders with Austria and Hungary due to a favourable epidemiological situation in the territories of both countries.

     

    All persons who own a Slovak permanent or temporary residence or persons residing in Hungary or Austria may come to Slovakia without a time limit, without the obligation to quarantine or submit a negative test for COVID-19 when entering the Slovak Republic through border crossings from these two countries.

     

    June

     

    4, 2020

    Austrian authorities have opened their borders for the nationals of the neighbouring countries – Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary or Slovenia – after keeping them closed for over two months. Travellers from Italy remain ineligible to enter the country.

     

    June

     

    4, 2020

    In the early morning of June 4, Thursday, Slovakia resumed the unrestricted regime of travel with the Czech Republic, making it possible to move between the two countries just as before the outbreak of the pandemic.

     

    All persons who own a Slovak permanent or temporary residence or persons residing in the Czech Republic, Hungary, or Austria may come to Slovakia without a time limit, without the obligation to quarantine or submit a negative test for COVID-19 when entering the Slovak Republic.

     

    June

     

    3, 2020

    Italy opened its borders for tourists for the EU and the Schengen Area, without any restrictions. Only EU nationals coming from a third country will have to undergo two weeks of quarantine.

     

     

     

    June

     

    1, 2020

    Estonia opened its borders for the residents of the European Union / Schengen Area Member States and of the United Kingdom, while only some of them are subject to the 14 days quarantine.

     

    According to the rules, people coming to Estonia from an EU/Schengen country that has a higher rate of infected people than 15 per 100,000, will have to remain in quarantine for two weeks upon arrival in Estonia.

     

    June

     

    1, 2020

    Lithuania abolished border controls with Latvia as the number of infections in both countries decreased in the previous weeks.

     

    June

     

    1, 2020

    Lithuania lifted an entry ban for citizens and legal residents of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

     

    The move was taken after Lithuania asserted that the incidence of COVID-19 in these countries is less than 15 cases of infected persons per 100,000 citizens in the last 14 days, while also lifting the two-week self-quarantine requirement for these travellers.

     

    May

     

    28, 2020

    Croatia reopened its borders for the citizens of 10 European countries: Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany.

     

    The restriction was lifted due to the satisfactory epidemiological situation in these countries. Travellers are obliged to comply with general and special recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

     

     

     

    May

     

    26, 2020

    The Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic lifted most of the border controls at the border crossings with Germany and Austria, putting comprehensive and systematic border controls to an end, and opening all road and rail crossings for both countries.

     

    May

     

    26, 2020

    Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia reopened their borders for each other’s nationals. Persons who enter any of the three countries for stays of no longer than 48 hours are exempt from the mandatory quarantine.

     

     

     

    May

     

    25, 2020

    Hungary is the first member of the European Union to remove the Schengen entry ban introduced earlier in March on EU Commission’s recommendation, for the nationals of a non-EEA country – Serbia.

     

    Hungarian border authorities have permitted Serbian citizens to cross the borders and come to the country without any restrictions or requirements as quarantine and PCR negative test results.

     

    May

     

    22, 2020

    Bulgarian authorities lifted the entry ban for European Union and Schengen area countries including San Marino, the Principality of Andorra, Vatican City State and Monaco. Only categories of persons who travelled to Bulgaria for essential purposes were exempt from quarantine.

     

     

     

    May

     

    16, 2020

    Austria, Germany and Switzerland opened their borders for the citizens of each other who want to visit their partner, relatives, or to take part in important family events, as well as to owners of agricultural, hunting or forest areas. People needing to take care of animals were also permitted to cross the border.

     

    May

     

    16, 2020

    Germany abolished border controls at the border with Luxembourg, on a prior decision of the German Minister of Interior Horst Seehofer.

     

    May

     

    15, 2020

    Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – abolished entry bans for each other’s citizens for non-essential purposes as they asserted that the situation regarding the Coronavirus pandemic and the level of infections is similar in all three, while at the same time abolishing a requirement of two weeks quarantine for these travellers.

     

    May

     

    14, 2020

    Finland reopened its borders for foreign workers from the Schengen zone, including Estonian citizens who work in Finland, also enabling business trips and other necessary trips within the Schengen countries, but under strict instructions.

     

    April

     

    27, 2020

    The Tourism Ministers of the 27 European Union Member States met through a video conference, in which meeting they discussed the option of creating a certificate of security in the sphere of tourism under the provisional name “COVID-19 passport”.

     

    The document would refer to the health status of its owner, and enable him/her to travel to the EU and the Schengen States.

     

    This passport would be linked to capitals being subject to “common rules and protocols” for social distancing, as well as tracking systems if there is an outbreak of infections.

     

    Source: Sechengenvisainfo.com