France Updates List of Safe Third Countries, Enacts Curfew

French authorities have updated their list of countries to which there are no travel restrictions, according to an announcement published by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The countries that do not have travel restrictions to enter France are:

  • European Union Member States
  • Andorra
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Georgia
  • The Holy See
  • Iceland
  • Japan
  • Liechtenstein
  • Monaco
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Rwanda
  • San Marino
  • South Korea
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • Tunisia
  • The United Kingdom
  • Uruguay

Foreign Nationals arriving to France from other third countries not listed above will need to meet one of the following criteria listed below:

  • Hold a valid French or EU residence permit or long-stay visa.
  • Transiting from another country for less than a 24-hour period.
  • If you hold an official passport.
  • If you are assuming your duties in a diplomatic or consular mission, or an international organization headquartered or having an office in France.
  • If you travel to France with a mission order from your home country.
  • If you are a health professional working to combat COVID-19.
  • If you are a crewmember on passenger or cargo flights.
  • If you are transporting goods internationally.
  • If you are a passenger coach driver, train operator, or crewmember.
  • If you are a crewmember on a merchant or fishing vessel.
  • If you are a student holding a long-stay visa or short-stay visa to carry out your studies in France, given that you can prove that you have accommodations in the country.
  • If you are a professor or researcher employed or invited by a French higher education institution or research laboratory and are invited to carry out your duties in your field of study or teaching.
  • If you have a “Talent Passport” or “ICT posted worker” long-stay visa.
  • If you are traveling to France to receive medical treatment in a private or public hospital.

In addition to the updated travel restrictions, many municipalities in France have also enacted a curfew from 21:00 until 06:00 every day, according to a separate announcement published by the French government. The curfew will have been in effect from 17 October 2020 for at least 4 weeks, and includes the Paris area and French Polynesia.

“From 17 October 2020 local curfews have been implemented in 54 departments, including the Paris area, and in French Polynesia, for at least 4 weeks from 9 PM to 6 AM,” the announcement reads.

According to the announcement, people will only be allowed to be out of their homes for the following reasons:

  • If you are commuting to/from work, university, or training.
  • Medical appointments that cannot be postponed or conducted remotely.
  • If you are out for essential family reasons, assisting vulnerable persons, persons in a precarious situation, or taking care of children.
  • If you have a disability and are with your accompanying person.
  • If you have judicial or administrative summons.
  • If you are participating in a mission of general interest upon request from an administrative authority.
  • If you are transiting for a long-distance journey.
  • If you are walking a pet outdoors within 1 km of your place of residence, for a brief time.

As France has remained closed, it is still unclear when the country will begin to relax some of their entry restrictions. It is also unclear when the curfew will be lifted.

EU Imposes “Increased Duties” on Imports from US

EU authorities have been granted authority by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to “take countermeasures against the United States,” and “increase its duties on US exports worth up to $4 billion,” according to a press release published by the European Commission.

The retaliation against the US comes at the heels of a dispute between the two parties about the US subsidizing the aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

“Today, the Dispute Settlement Body of World Trade Organization (WTO) formally authorised the EU to take countermeasures against the United States. The EU can now increase its duties on U.S. exports worth up to $4 billion. Today’s decision follows the WTO panel announcement confirming EU retaliation rights in reaction to illegal subsidies granted to the U.S. aircraft maker, Boeing,” the press release reads.

According to a separate announcement published by the European Commission, the US subsidizing Boeing has had a significant adverse impact on the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus. It is also claimed that such actions are illegal.

“The ruling concludes definitively that the US has continued to subsidise the company illegally despite previous rulings condemning this behaviour. This has caused significant harm to its European competitor Airbus,” reads the announcement.

According to Vladis Dombrovskis, the Executive Vice President for an Economy that Works for People and Commissioner for Trade, the EU and US will still be working together to get past the retaliatory measures as well as move in a more cooperative future between the two unions.

“Today’s formal approval by the Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO confirms the EU’s right to impose countermeasures for illegal subsidies to the American aircraft maker, Boeing. The European Commission is preparing the countermeasures, in close consultation with our Member States. As I have made clear all along, our preferred outcome is a negotiated settlement with the U.S. To that end, we continue to engage intensively with our American counterparts, and I am in regular contact with U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer. In the absence of a negotiated outcome, the EU will be ready to take action in line with the WTO ruling,” said Dombrovskis.

The end goal for the EU on the trade dispute with the US was to create a level playing field for competitors in the same industry. The WTO ruling has provided that level playing field and may yield a more promising future for both parties to work together, according to Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström.

“Today’s ruling is a welcome one for the EU, its aircraft-producing industry and workers across EU Member States in this strategic sector. The Appellate Body has now settled this case definitively, confirming our view the US has continued to subsidise Boeing despite WTO rulings to the contrary. We will continue to defend a level-playing field for our industry. European companies must be able to compete on fair and equal terms and today’s ruling is important in this respect,” said Malmström.

Although the WTO has authorized extra duties to be performed on imports to the EU from the US, it is still unclear for how long they will be enforced.