The European Commission (EC) recently issued advice on how to implement its guidelines for border management to keep freight moving across the European Union (EU) during the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure functioning of supply chains, states have been asked to designate all relevant border points on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) as ‘green lane' 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, the Commission said in a press release.

Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean said: “A collective and coordinated approach to cross-border transport is more important today than ever before. The green lanes are also specifically designed to protect transport workers at the frontline of this crisis. This set of recommendations will ease their already stressful mission and it will bring more safety and predictability to their work.”

Procedures at green lane border crossings should be minimised and streamlined to what is strictly necessary. Checks and screening should be carried out without drivers having to leave their vehicles, and drivers themselves should undergo only minimal checks, the advice said.

Drivers of freight vehicles should not be asked to produce any document other than their identification and driving license and if necessary a letter from the employer. Electronic submission and display of documents should be accepted.

No freight vehicle or driver should face discrimination, irrespective of origin and destination, the driver's nationality or the vehicle's country of registration.

In light of the current situation, member states have also been urged to temporarily suspend all road access restrictions currently in place in their territory, such as weekend, night and sectoral bans.

The Commission encourages states to set up safe passage transit corridors to allow private drivers and their passengers, such as health and transport workers, as well as EU citizens being repatriated, regardless of their nationality, to directly pass with priority through the country in each necessary direction along the TEN-T Network.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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