Nouvelle-Aquitaine-Euskadi-Navarra Euroregion (Spain-France border)

• Author: Viaggi, Raffaele; Rubio, Jean; Peyrony, Jean
• Pages: 26-28

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

CASE STUDIES

26

Nouvelle-Aquitaine-Euskadi-Navarra

Euroregion (Spain-France border)

Border controls

and cross-border

mobility

(Reduced cross-

ings points, type of

controls, conges-

tion, CB public

transport…)

The French Prefecture closed almost all border crossings: only 4 of them

were still open in the NAEN Euroregion. This engendered large conges-

tion along these 4 crossings. At open crossings there were double con-

trols from Spanish and French authorities. Only CB workers and freight

were allowed in.

CB public transport: Stops on the other side of the border were can-

celled. However, since the reopening everything restarted: train, pub-

lic bus, private buses.

CB coordination

and dialogue

during the crisis

and the de-con-

tainment phase

(Evolution in bor-

der controls and

effects of the lifting

of border controls)

Post-lockdown plans never mentioned border regions nor CB in-

habitants.

Political initiatives: The President of the Basque country wrote a letter to

the French Prime Minister and to the President of the Government of Spain

requesting to take into account CB specificities in the post-lockdown plans.

The President of the Euroregion asked to implement some exceptions: to

let CB citizens and project promoters cross the border inside a limited

buffer zone around the border, including for health consultations. However,

this letter did not receive any answer. Luckily, every Sunday the Spanish

regions held meetings where the Presidents of Navarra and Euskadi were

able to raise awareness around the issue of cross-border areas at National

level.

Generally speaking, a complete lack of coordination in the post-

lockdown measures was perceived locally.

21st June marked the reopening of the Spanish border, one week later

than in most EU countries. When borders reopened, the national au-

thorities mainly did it for the benefits of the tourism industry. They

never mentioned CB citizens.

All along the crisis border measures were national, the regional authorities

did not have any possibility to take their own decisions. Since the lifting