Coronavirus Pandemic Overshadows 35th Anniversary Of Schengen

By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News

(Worthy News) – A new wave of coronavirus infections is overshadowing the 35th anniversary of Europe’s border-free Schengen Area. France and Germany are among European Union member states facing significant challenges amid rising coronavirus infection in Europe ahead of Christmas.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reportedly condemned several regional governments for allowing hotels to open for family visits over Christmas. She warned it risked worsening coronavirus surge sweeping Germany.

Participants in a video conference of Merkel and her conservative party’s top leadership said she couldn’t understand why northern and western states, where the epidemic is less severe, would open hotels for far-flung families to get together.

Merkel spoke as coronavirus infection levels rose overnight compared to the same time last week. The infections came despite a partial lockdown introduced for November and since extended and tightened to halt COVID-19 cases.

Despite Merkel’s comments, the regional leaders have the final say on what happens in their states under Germany’s federal structure.

Her intervention came shortly before a meeting of the “coronavirus cabinet.” Ministers are due to discuss different responses to what they view as one of Germany’s most significant public health crisis in a century.

WORSHIP LIMITATIONS

Neighbor France also faces challenges. The State Council, France’s highest court, has ordered the government to review a law limiting the number of people in churches during religious services to 30. The Council said the measure was not proportionate to coronavirus infection risks.

Shops selling non-essential goods were allowed to reopen from November 28, and indoor religious services were allowed to resume. Still, the number of worshippers was capped at 30 people.

Catholic organizations challenged the limit, arguing that churches and cathedrals are much more spacious than retail outlets, where the limit is one person per eight square meters.

The pandemic has overshadowed the 35th anniversary of Europe’s border-free Schengen Area. From 5 countries at the time, Schengen grew to 26, counting 420 million citizens.

EU CONCERNED

But the European Union has expressed concerns about recent border closures. The president of the EU’s executive European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen noted that the coronavirus pandemic challenges Schengen’s philosophy of open frontiers. “It has been 35 years since a number of Member States agreed to remove border controls between themselves. From 5 countries at the time, the Schengen Area grew to 26, counting 420 million citizens,” she noted.

However, Von der Leyen warned: “The first months of the pandemic showed us what happens when Schengen stops functioning: Europe grinds to a halt.” She tried to sound hopeful about Schengen’s future.”

It may sound like a paradox, but this experience made me very confident in the future of Schengen. It is too precious for us all. We will not allow it to fail.”

Von der Leyen added that between 2006 and 2014, over nine years, internal border checks were reintroduced 35 times. But she stressed that since 2015, in less than five years, internal border checks were reintroduced 205 times in part due to the pandemic and migration.

Authorities say they hope coronavirus vaccines will soon end the pandemic. Moderna Incorporated said it would apply for European and U.S. Emergency authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine on Monday based on full results from a late-stage study. That reportedly showed its vaccine was 94.1% effective with no serious safety concerns.

Moderna’s announcement follows news from Pfizer Incorporated and German partner BioNTech SE. They claimed their vaccine, which also uses a new technology called synthetic messenger RNA or mRNA, was 95% effective. Pfizer has applied for emergency use authorization, putting it about a week ahead of Moderna in what has become a vaccine race.

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