Airports will come to a standstill and land borders will be closed by noon Saturday (14 March) in order to halt spread of the coronavirus in Denmark, prime minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Friday. Only trucks transporting goods and people with special permission will be allowed to pass the borders under control of the army. Neighbouring countries and the European Commission were informed of the new measures in advance.The post [Ticker] Denmark closes airports and border to halt Corona appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

Europe has become the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China, the World Health Organization said late Friday. "More cases are now being reported everyday than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic", Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO secretary-general said, adding: "Our message to countries continues to be: you must take a comprehensive approach."The post [Ticker] WHO: Europe is ‘epicentre’ of coronavirus pandemic appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned countries not to unilaterally close borders, saying "I am convinced that the EU can withstand this shock."The post [Coronavirus] Von der Leyen on virus: ‘EU will do whatever is necessary’ appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

The G7 leaders of the United States, Italy, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom will hold an extraordinary summit by videoconference on Monday amid the coronavirus outbreak, French president Emmanuel Macron said. "We will coordinate research efforts on a vaccine and treatments, and work on an economic and financial response," he tweeted.The post [Ticker] G7 leaders to hold emergency videoconference on virus appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

The UK's local and mayoral elections, scheduled for May, have been postponed for 12 months over the coronavirus outbreak, the government announced on Friday. The polls, including for London mayor, had been scheduled for 7 May. The decision came after advice from the independent Electoral Commission that there was a "growing risk" voters would not be able to full participate.The post [Ticker] UK local elections postponed 12 months over coronavirus appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

The European Commission on Friday said health checks imposed by EU states inside the passport-free Schengen zone won't be classified as a border control. "If they introduce health checks, it is not seen as an internal border control," said home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson. Anyone entering the EU from another country at the external border and showing symptoms of the virus can be denied entry, she added.The post [Ticker] Commission: Intra-EU health checks not ‘border controls’ appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

"China and Russia have started an information war with the West ... In the time of a real plague let us be immune to the virus of a lie," Donald Tusk, a senior EU politician who was recently EU Council president, has said. The Chinese and Russian propaganda lines were "the virus has come from the USA" and "the EU is doing nothing", Tusk warned on Twitter.The post [Ticker] Russia and China waging virus info war, Tusk says appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

The EU and eurozone will enter a recession this year, and its growth projection could go"considerably below zero" due to the coronavirus, the EU commission warned. Maarten Verwey, director general for economic and financial affairs said that "normally, we can expect normally to bounce back" in 2021. The official said member states' quick and bold measures will be crucial in not letting the shock turn into a long-term crisis.The post [Ticker] EU will enter recession this year due to virus appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

The Czech Republic on Friday introduced an unprecedented travel ban in a fight against the coronavirus. Czechs and foreigners with permanent or long-term residency in the Czech Republic will not be allowed to leave the country, beginning on 16 March. Foreigners will not be able to enter the country for the next 30 days. People working abroad (within 50km of the Czech border) will be able to cross.The post [Ticker] Czech Republic introduces unprecedented travel ban appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more

Romanian interim prime minister Ludovic Orban will quarantine himself after coming into contact with one of his party's senators who was later confirmed to have the coronavirus, he said Friday. Orban, his cabinet and Liberal Party leaders will enter self-quarantine and testing was underway, he said. As of Friday afternoon, Romania recorded 73 confirmed cases of the virus, with no fatalities.The post [Ticker] Romanian government in quarantine appeared first on The Central EU Law Blog for Students ..read more