Coronavirus: EU presents plan for co-ordinated lifting of restrictive measures

“The lack of co-ordination in removing restrictive measures risks having negative effects on all member states and causing political friction between them”, the European Commission's document with recommendations for member states.

The document stipulates three exit criteria: a prolonged drop in the spread of the virus, a well-equipped health system to cope with an increase in infections following the removal of measures and sufficient testing capacity.

Emergency measures imposed by various countries, some of which have declared a state of emergency, must gradually be replaced by more objective interventions to ensure respect for democracy.

The removal of controls at the EU's internal borders should be co-ordinated and the reopening of external borders, which must be extended by 15 May, should take place in a second step.

The commission also considers that the population should not return to the workplace at the same time.