Communication on the implementation of the Green Lanes under the Guidelines for border management measures to protect health and ensure the availability of goods and essential services

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 23 March 2020 on implementing its Guidelines on health-related border management issues.

Further information:

The coronavirus pandemic greatly affected EU-wide transport and mobility. The European supply chain is maintained through a network of freight transport services, including all modes of transport. Continued and uninterrupted services were seen as crucial for the functioning of the European Union's internal market and its effective response to the sanitary crisis.

To ensure that EU-wide supply chains continue to operate, Member States were requested to designate all the relevant internal border-crossing points on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) as ‘green lane' border crossings. The green lane border crossings should be open to all freight vehicles, whatever goods they are carrying. Crossing the border, including any checks and health screening, should not take more than 15 minutes.

Official

European Commission: Press Release, 23/03/2020: Coronavirus: Commission presents practical guidance to ensure continuous flow of goods across EU via green lanes https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_510

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News

Reuters, 23/03/2020: EU urges nations to unblock borders, let freight cross in 15 minutes https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN21A2SX

EurActiv, 23/03/2020: Keep on trucking: EU deploys ‘green lanes’ to unclog freight https://www.euractiv.com/section/transport/news/keep-on-trucking-eu-deploys-green-lanes-to-unclog-freight/

EUObserver, 24/03/2020: EU urges 15-minute fast track lanes for trucks at borders https://euobserver.com/coronavirus/147852

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