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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Austria looks at Italy border controls in bid to contain coronavirus | Austria looks at Italy border controls in bid to contain coronavirus |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| EU executive announces €232m package to deal with ‘unfolding and complex situation’ | EU executive announces €232m package to deal with ‘unfolding and complex situation’ |
| Austria is considering reintroducing border controls with Italy, in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak that has led to a dozen northern Italian towns being put into lockdown. | Austria is considering reintroducing border controls with Italy, in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak that has led to a dozen northern Italian towns being put into lockdown. |
| Italian authorities have said they will impose fines on anyone entering or leaving restricted areas and more than 200 people have contracted the virus and six people have died. | |
| The European commission announced on Monday that it would send experts to Italy from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, in a joint mission with the World Health Organization. | The European commission announced on Monday that it would send experts to Italy from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, in a joint mission with the World Health Organization. |
| The EU executive also announced a €232m (£195m) package to deal with the virus, although some of the funds have yet to be signed off. | The EU executive also announced a €232m (£195m) package to deal with the virus, although some of the funds have yet to be signed off. |
| Austria’s interior minister, Karl Nehammer, said that a coronavirus task force would meet on Monday to discuss whether to introduce border controls with Italy. | Austria’s interior minister, Karl Nehammer, said that a coronavirus task force would meet on Monday to discuss whether to introduce border controls with Italy. |
| Austria suspended train services to and from Italy for around four hours on Sunday evening so two passengers could be tested for coronavirus. The train, carrying about 300 passengers from Venice to Munich, was stopped on the Italian side of the Brenner pass before being allowed to continue its journey after the two passengers tested negative. | Austria suspended train services to and from Italy for around four hours on Sunday evening so two passengers could be tested for coronavirus. The train, carrying about 300 passengers from Venice to Munich, was stopped on the Italian side of the Brenner pass before being allowed to continue its journey after the two passengers tested negative. |
| The European commission said it had not received any notice from Vienna of its intention to reimpose border controls, but said any suspension of free movement within the 26-country EU free-travel zone should be based on a credible risk assessment and scientific evidence. | The European commission said it had not received any notice from Vienna of its intention to reimpose border controls, but said any suspension of free movement within the 26-country EU free-travel zone should be based on a credible risk assessment and scientific evidence. |
| “We are facing … an unfolding situation, a complex situation and any decisions made need to be based on risk assessment and scientific advice, and need to be proportionate,” said Stella Kyriakides, EU commissioner for health and food safety. “We stress that for the moment WHO has not advised changing or imposing restrictions on either travel or trade.” | “We are facing … an unfolding situation, a complex situation and any decisions made need to be based on risk assessment and scientific advice, and need to be proportionate,” said Stella Kyriakides, EU commissioner for health and food safety. “We stress that for the moment WHO has not advised changing or imposing restrictions on either travel or trade.” |
| A commission spokesman said: “Right now, our advice does not include border controls.” | A commission spokesman said: “Right now, our advice does not include border controls.” |
| Governments in the passport-free Schengen zone can reintroduce border controls if there is “a serious threat to public policy or internal security”. European commission guidance states that controls at internal borders should remain an exceptional measure of last resort. | Governments in the passport-free Schengen zone can reintroduce border controls if there is “a serious threat to public policy or internal security”. European commission guidance states that controls at internal borders should remain an exceptional measure of last resort. |
| Border controls have been reintroduced and prolonged more than 50 times since September 2015, as governments have responded to large numbers of migrants and asylum seekers arriving in the EU, as well as terrorist threats. | Border controls have been reintroduced and prolonged more than 50 times since September 2015, as governments have responded to large numbers of migrants and asylum seekers arriving in the EU, as well as terrorist threats. |
| France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Norway are among the countries that have notified Brussels of continuing border controls in response to terrorist threats. Both Spain and Poland enforced border controls when their countries were hosting UN climate talks, in 2019 and 2018 respectively. | France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Norway are among the countries that have notified Brussels of continuing border controls in response to terrorist threats. Both Spain and Poland enforced border controls when their countries were hosting UN climate talks, in 2019 and 2018 respectively. |
| Countries can impose border controls for up to six months for foreseeable events, such as international meetings or sporting championships, or for up to two years “in exceptional circumstances”. | Countries can impose border controls for up to six months for foreseeable events, such as international meetings or sporting championships, or for up to two years “in exceptional circumstances”. |
| At the height of the migration crisis in 2015, eight countries reintroduced border checks, prompting fears that the passport-free zone was on the brink of collapse. | At the height of the migration crisis in 2015, eight countries reintroduced border checks, prompting fears that the passport-free zone was on the brink of collapse. |
| EU officials stressed that the decision to reintroduce border controls lay in the hands of national governments. “It is important that member states fully respect the advice given from WHO and of course from ECDC, but such decisions concerning travel restrictions will always be member states’ competence and member states’ decisions,” Kyriakides said. | EU officials stressed that the decision to reintroduce border controls lay in the hands of national governments. “It is important that member states fully respect the advice given from WHO and of course from ECDC, but such decisions concerning travel restrictions will always be member states’ competence and member states’ decisions,” Kyriakides said. |
| Nearly half the €232m EU aid package will go to WHO to boost preparedness in countries with poorer health systems. Smaller portions of money have been allocated to African health experts to ensure rapid diagnosis of the disease (€10m), as well as repatriation flights for EU citizens from Wuhan (€3m), the origin of the outbreak. | Nearly half the €232m EU aid package will go to WHO to boost preparedness in countries with poorer health systems. Smaller portions of money have been allocated to African health experts to ensure rapid diagnosis of the disease (€10m), as well as repatriation flights for EU citizens from Wuhan (€3m), the origin of the outbreak. |