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LONDON — A ban on travel from the U.K. to France will be loosened, the two countries’ governments said Tuesday.
People crossing the border from the U.K. to France will be required to have a test to check if they are infected with COVID before they can travel, according to a statement from French Prime Minister Jean Castex.
Even then, the kinds of people allowed to travel from Britain to France will be restricted until January 6. EU citizens, EU permanent residents and other categories such as truck drivers or train operators will be permitted to cross the border, provided that they have a negative test taken during the previous 72 hours.
France, along with more than 50 countries, imposed a ban on travel from Britain after a more contagious variant of the COVID-19 virus was discovered in the U.K. Infection levels have rocketed in the Britain in recent days, with Kent, the region which includes the port of Dover, one of the areas worst affected.
The ban caused days-long tail backs of thousands of goods vehicles, jamming the M20, a major British road and a crucial artery for trade into and out of the country. This triggered plans put in place to manage Brexit disruption ahead of time.
British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter on Tuesday evening: “Good progress today and agreement with the French government on borders. We will provide an update on hauliers later this evening, but hauliers must still NOT travel to Kent this evening.”
Laboratory test certificates, showing that a PCR test had been taken 72 hours before crossing the border will be required to enter France from the U.K. under the new rules.
The French government also released a list of tests allowed, aside from the gold-standard PCR laboratory test. This is to ensure tests will be sensitive to the new variant of the virus discovered in the U.K.
The decision, which will be enforced Tuesday at midnight, followed a “conversation between the European Commission and member states” and “constructive bilateral talks” between Paris and London, the statement said. The rules will remain in place “at least until January 6.”
People who are neither a citizen of the EU or a permanent EU resident are still forbidden to travel to France from the U.K., aside from exceptions including long-term EU visa holders or workers involved in transportation of goods or people, whether by road, rail, air or sea.
