Correspondent in Brussels
The Europeans had, as often, left in dispersed order after the Chinese government announced the reopening of its borders from January 8 and the lifting of the travel restrictions imposed for almost three years on the population.
After a week of scrambles, they tried on Wednesday, during a meeting convened urgently by the Swedish presidency of the EU, to agree on the common rules to which Chinese tourists who wish to join the EU should comply. Europe.
And, even as contamination continues to flare up in China.
At the time of closing this edition, discussions were continuing between the representatives of the Member States.
The Commission has tabled several proposals.
According to these, travelers should have a test - PCR or antigen - negative before boarding the plane.
This test obligation has already been decided by Italy, Spain or even by France, where it is implemented from this Thursday.
“
No country wants to witness an epidemic outbreak on its territory, not after all the efforts and sacrifices made for almost three years
”, justified the government spokesman, Olivier Véran, after the Council of Ministers.
Other Member States - notably Germany - were much more reluctant to move forward.
Read alsoThe new explosion of Covid in China worries the world, but not Europe
Among the measures proposed, the wearing of a mandatory mask on planes.
In order to be able to identify the importation of possible new variants, the Commission also proposes to the Member States to control the waste water of aircraft and to carry out increased tests - with genomic sequencing - at the airports of arrival .
"
These measures should be targeted at the most appropriate flights and airports and be implemented in a coordinated manner
(across the EU, editor's note)
to ensure their effectiveness
," a spokesperson warned on Tuesday.
Beijing reviews
Outside the EU, several countries have already taken the bull by the horns.
In particular the United States, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom, which reacted very quickly and took the decision last week to introduce a negative test obligation for Chinese travelers.
Read alsoThe new explosion of Covid in China worries the world, but not Europe
The cascading decisions of the West hit Beijing.
Even as it continues to impose negative tests on foreigners wishing to enter the country, the Chinese government is threatening to "
take countermeasures, according to the principle of reciprocity
".
“
Some countries have put in place entry restrictions aimed only at travelers from China.
This is devoid of scientific basis and certain practices are unacceptable
,” a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized on Wednesday morning.
Gaps and lack of transparency
Westerners deny being driven by political concerns.
And this, even if the decisions taken are not necessarily easy to explain scientifically.
In particular with regard to the negative test to be provided before departure.
Indeed, last Thursday, the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention - ECDC - considered that systematic screening of travelers was "
unjustified
".
This was also the line defended by the European Commission, which in recent days has undertaken a 180 degree turn.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the ECDC again reiterates that “
the variants circulating in China are already circulating in the EU and as such do not pose a challenge to the immune response of EU/EEA citizens
”.
Especially since "
EU/EEA citizens have relatively high levels of immunization and vaccination
.
There is still a lack of reliable data on Covid-19 cases, hospital admissions, deaths, and intensive care unit capacity and occupancy in China.
European Health Monitoring Center
However, the ECDC - like the World Health Organization - also points to the shortcomings and the lack of transparency in the information provided by China to third countries.
“
There is still
a lack of reliable data on Covid-19 cases, hospital admissions, deaths and the capacity and occupancy of health units
,” the European Health Monitoring Center said in its press release.
intensive care in China.
»
Read alsoMarie Holzman: “Covid will be China’s Chernobyl”
If the mistrust of Westerners towards Beijing is palpable, the Europeans have however reached out to the Chinese government which they know is overwhelmed by contamination while the health system is suffocated by the influx of patients in the big cities. .
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides has offered them
the EU's "
public health expertise" in recent days, as well as "
donations of European vaccines adapted to the variants
".
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already curtly declined the offer.