EU Commission demands explanation from Germany on Covid entry bans

Germany is under pressure to explain its entry bans targeting the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Austrian state of Tyrol, after the European Commission complained in a letter that the measures were disproportionate and unjustified.
"We believe that the objective
justifiably pursued by Germany – the protection of public health during a
pandemic – could be attained by less restrictive measures," the European
Union's executive body wrote to Germany's ambassador to the bloc, Michael
Clauss.
The letter, dated Monday
and seen by dpa, gives Germany 10 days to respond.
In theory, the dispute
could lead to legal action against the member state, although this is
considered unlikely during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Similar letters have
been sent to Belgium, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, whose border
restrictions have been met with disapproval in Brussels.
At the commission's
request, the member states' ministers for European affairs are holding a
conference on Tuesday to discuss border measures.
The Czech Republic,
Slovakia and Tyrol were added to Germany's list of "areas of variant of
concern" on February 14, banning the vast majority of people from there
from entering Germany, with few exceptions, for example for truck drivers.
The measures recently
led to travel chaos on Czech motorways leading up to the German border, as
authorities struggled to ensure all hauliers had the required coronavirus test
certificate.
German Interior Minister
Horst Seehofer has previously rejected the commission's criticism of the border
restrictions.
Brussels is pushing for
EU nations to stick to a framework for travel within the bloc agreed just a few
weeks ago.