EU calls on member states to reopen transport links to UK

[BRUSSELS] The European Commission called on member states to reopen critical trade and passenger transport links to the UK while discouraging non-essential travel.

The Brussels-based commission said in a statement that freight transport to and from the UK must be allowed to continue uninterrupted but that any unnecessary journeys should be avoided "until further notice." "Flight and train bans should be discontinued given the need to ensure essential travel and avoid supply chain disruptions," the EU's executive arm said in the statement.

The British government is desperately trying to re-open trade routes to France after a day of cross-Channel political bartering failed to end the chaos at the UK's busiest port. France shut down freight traffic from Dover in southeast England at midnight on Sunday because of fear over a faster-spreading mutant strain of Covid-19 that forced the UK government to impose a strict lockdown on London and surrounding areas.

Spain and Portugal, meanwhile, are among more than 40 countries restricting flights and effectively isolating the UK.

European Union ambassadors are set to discuss the recommendation later on Tuesday, and the bloc's governments have previously vowed to coordinate their response.

Two days of border chaos have seen more than 1,500 trucks backed up along roads in southeast England and threatened shortages of some fresh food items in British supermarkets before Christmas.

It also gave the country a taste of the border upheaval that may be coming in less than two weeks time if the UK fails to strike a trade deal with the European Union before the Brexit transition period ends on Dec 31. Without an agreement, Britain will default to trading with the EU on World Trade Organization terms, with the imposition of costly tariffs and quotas.

Non-essential travel between the UK and the EU is set to be temporarily restricted anyway from Jan 1 when Britain leaves the customs union. As a so-called third country, the UK will be subject to Covid-related restrictions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday to try to resolve the issue, while Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has been in regular contact with his French counterpart over the past two days.

BLOOMBERG