Euroregion Spree-Neiße-Bober (Poland-Germany)

• Author: Viaggi, Raffaele; Rubio, Jean; Peyrony, Jean
• Pages: 16-17

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF BORDER-RELATED MEASURE S TAKEN BY MS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19

CASE STUDIES

16

Euroregion Spree-Neiße-Bober(Poland-

Germany)

Border controls and cross-

border mobility

(Reduced crossings points, type

of controls, congestion, CB public

transport…)

Border crossing between Guben (DE)

and Gubin (PL)

Copyright : Euroregion Spree-Neiße-

Bober e.V.

Poland was the first to decide to close its borders with a very

short notice, which engendered traffic congestion. Germany

closed its border shortly after, without establishing border

controls but imposed self-isolation at home in case of border

crossing. On the Polish side, there were temperature checks

to filter the access, carried out by the Polish border police,

and a complete 14 days of mandatory quarantine for

those who crossed border, including CB workers. CB

public transports were completely interrupted.

CB coordination and dialogue

during the crisis and the de-

containment phase

As borders reopened gradually to CB workers (except for

medical staff), there were still border controls CB work cer-

tificate had to be provided. Medical staff was finally allowed

to cross border without difficulties only after May 16th.

Impact on cross-border

workers

(Remote working and taxation,

social security, unemployment…)

CB workers (more than 3000) were strongly affected as they

could not commute at all. The government of Brandenburg

issued a decree addressing CB workers, which were offered

60 EUROS per day, plus 20 EUROS per day for relatives if

they decided to stay in Germany.