New French restrictions linked to Covid-19 have caused confusion in the UK as many nationals find it difficult to reach their country of residence. France has finally decided to relax its conditions.
The British forced to do without fish pie and condemned to listen to the wishes of President Macron? Just one bad dream narrowly avoided for the British officially resident in a country of the European Union who had to transit through France. France announces this Thursday that it has finally relaxed travel restrictions “for the end of year celebrations“. But before this clarification, the British who wanted to transit through our dear country to regain their European residence were struggling.
Back to the panic that followed the decisions taken by the French government on December 18 and entered into force on December 28. Since that date, a “Compelling reason” is necessary to enter the national territory. British residents of a European Union country other than France and who borrowed their car to get there, as is often the case during this holiday season, were directly targeted by these blockages. Those residing in France and passengers on Eurostar trains were not affected by this measure. Because since the introduction of the restrictions, the British are now considered to be “Third country nationals” by Beauvau, a category of traveler for which transit to another country in the European Union is not allowed.
Faced with the misunderstanding of many Britons traveling around Europe for the holidays, the British Foreign Office had indicated on its site asking “urgent clarifications from the French government», And advised its nationals to check with carriers before traveling. “Unless they hold a French residence, British citizens are now considered third country citizens and can no longer transit through France by road to reach their country of residence in the EU“, Tweeted Wednesday evening Eurotunnel, the subsidiary of the Getlink group which manages the tunnel. Same story on the ferry side: “Only those who have a residence in France will be allowed to enter FranceP & O Ferries said in a tweet.
“The French rules are still fearful”
The application of these rules surprised British passengers who were not informed of these restrictions. Several who wanted to transit through France for, for example, Belgium, testified on Twitter of their incomprehension. Some indicating that access to the tunnel had been refused to them just before boarding. Since Wednesday morning, British motorists wishing to return to their European residence outside France by crossing France have thus been denied access to the Channel tunnel on the British side.
“I’m completely lost, it doesn’t make sense!“, Declared in the morning to AFP Fiona Navin-Jones, a Briton who has lived in Belgium for 14 years and who was still this morning with her family in England, where she had gone by car. “We finally managed to go by road thanks to the residence card and the household composition (a Belgian document, editor’s note) because my husband is irish“, Testified Fiona Navin-Jones. “I was told the passage would depend on the border officer in the cabin so I guess I was lucky […] French rules still fear as much», She got annoyed. For her, it is a “Brexit issue disguised with Covid“.
Finally, the French authorities showed understanding. Many British nationals have surrendered “in good faith“In the UK for the holiday season and”find it difficult to reach their country of residence“Thus indicated this Thursday afternoon the French Ministry of the Interior, which therefore decided to address”tolerance guidelines»To border police forces so that everyone can reach their home. And, why not, taste a good fish pie.