Thread by @DaveKeating

Meanwhile, as the #LockdownBelgium is announced, the results of the videoconference #EUCO are also being announced.

The EU has agreed to block entry to non-EU citizens for 30 days. British, Swiss, Norwegian and Icelandic citizens are excluded from the restriction.

The UK is refusing to participate in the restriction measure.

For this reason, Ireland also cannot participate, because it must preserve its common travel area with the UK on the island of Ireland.

But all other EU countries will institute the restriction.

There will be exceptions.

-Diplomats and people transporting goods will be exempt.
-Immediate family members of EU citizens will be exempt.
-People with permanent residency in an EU country will be exempt.

The 27 EU leaders will hold their long-scheduled #EUCO summit next week also by videoconference rather than in person in Brussels as planned, it was decided tonight.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said in an interview with France 2 tonight that though UK citizens are exempted from this EU ban for now, this could change if the UK doesn’t quickly align its #CoronaVirus protections with the rest of Europe.

The border measures are a national competence, so any EU country could choose to no longer exempt UK citizens from the ban.

French PM: ‘If the UK continues not to apply any measures, we would find it difficult to accept British nationals on our territory’