German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced today that Germany's border with Luxembourg would reopen completely from Saturday 16 May 2020.
After weeks of closed borders, Germany is set to gradually ease border controls with France, Switzerland and Austria from this Saturday. All border crossings with these three countries will be authorised by 15 June 2020. In addition, the German-Luxembourg border will be completely open by Saturday, with checks being dropped the day before.
Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn has welcomed the German government's decision to reopen the border and abolish checks between the two countries. In a statement released today, Minister Asselborn said: "This decision will not only bring concrete relief for citizens and businesses on both sides of the border, but is also an important signal with regard to the gradual reinstatement of the Schengen Agreement".
The Foreign Minister added: "Today's decision by the Federal Government should still make it possible to defuse the difficult situation on our border with Germany and to rebuild citizens' trust in open borders in our European model region".
Indeed, Luxembourg has been campaigning for the abolition of border restrictions introduced by Germany since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.
Despite welcoming the German government's, Minister Asselborn stressed that "[b]oth in Luxembourg and in Germany there are still a number of restrictions in the context of pandemic control that must be respected".
