Today’s video conference of EU interior ministers focused on the temporary internal border controls and their effects on free movement of persons.

 "Today the majority of the interior ministers were in favour of ending the internal border controls on 15 June", Federal Minister of the Interior Seehofer said after the Council meeting. "A few of them will do so at the end of June. This will also bring the end of quarantine measures, so that travellers between European countries will no longer have to go into quarantine. This will mean the full restoration of freedom of movement", he underscored. He added that he would submit a proposal to the Cabinet in the coming week.

 The EU interior ministers want entry bans for travellers from third countries to be extended by an additional 14 days to 1 July. After this date, Seehofer said, there would be differentiated solutions depending on the countries’ epidemiological situations. He went on to say that the Commission would issue a recommendation on the matter next week.

Germany’s EU Council Presidency Croatian Interior Minister passes the baton

Today’s video conference of the EU interior ministers was the last under the Croatian Presidency. For the second half of 2020, Germany is assuming the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

 Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the BMI has readjusted many of its plans and made crisis management a high priority for EU home affairs. "Along with the Green Deal, the migration issue and the coronavirus pandemic are important global policy issues," Interior Minister Seehofer said. "In these areas Europe must show that the European Union is alive." In accordance with tradition, Seehofer took over the role previously held by his Croatian counterpart today and presented the home affairs priorities of Germany’s upcoming EU Council Presidency. "We can only get the public on board if we succeed in solving the major problems," he said. "The European Union needs to show now that its heart is still beating."

 

Background information

On 1 July, Germany will take over the Council Presidency of the European Union. The Federal Government’s slogan for the Council Presidency is “Together for Europe’s recovery”. One core task will be to find compromises and solutions to manage the coronavirus pandemic together. The German Presidency also marks the start of the trio presidency with Portugal and Slovenia.

Das Logo der deutschen Präsidentschaft im Rat der Europäischen Union - ein gewschwungener Bogen in blau mit einem schwarz-rot-goldenen Element und dem Schriftzug eu2020.de (Larger version opens in new window) Source: Bundesregierung

During the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of the Interior will be chairing more than 20 Council working groups. Several dozen informal events will also be held, some of them online.

During the handover, the Federal Minister of the Interior invited his counterparts to the home affairs part of the informal JAI Council on 7 July. This will be held in a virtual format. The formal JAI Councils in the second half of 2020 are planned for 8-9 October in Luxembourg and 3-4 December in Brussels.