Germany to Exempt Unmarried Couples From COVID-19 Border Controls - Love always wins!

Germany will give a welcome break to the coronavirus lovelorn from Monday - easing its border controls to allow unmarried couples to reunite after what has been months of separation for some.

The exemption will apply to the partners of Germans from countries that Germany considers high-risk - currently most of the world outside the EU - and couples will have to provide some proof that they were in a relationship before the pandemic, the interior ministry said on Friday.

Most European Union borders have been closed to non-EU travellers since March, unless they are essential workers or married to an EU resident.

On social media, separated couples have been lobbying under the hashtags #LoveIsEssential and #LoveIsNotTourism for governments to allow them to reunite.

A few European countries including Austria, Norway and Denmark, have heeded the call, introducing "sweetheart visas" that exempt couples from the travel ban.

In Germany, couples will have to present an invitation by the partner who lives in Germany and sign a statement confirming that they are in a relationship.

They must also provide proof, such as stamps in passports or plane tickets, that they have met in person in Germany at least once or that they have lived abroad together.

The European Commission on Friday renewed a call for the remaining EU member states to exempt the unmarried partners of European citizens from travel restrictions into their countries.
https://www.eudebates.tv/ #eudebates

Travel restriction of unmarried couples. 'Love is not tourism' https://www.eudebates.tv/ #eudebates #coronavirus #COVID The European Union is urging member countries to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions to allow unmarried couples to reunite after nearly half a year of separation.

Love always wins

EU member states have reopened their borders to each other — although some restrictions apply — and to a shortlist of approved third-countries where the coronavirus is deemed under control.

But this list excludes most countries around the world including the US, Russia, Brazil, most African and Asian countries. This means citizens from these countries that are not EU residents may not be able to come to the EU.

A spokesperson for the EU Commission told reporters on Friday that during a meeting with national border authorities on Thursday, Brussels "raised an issue directly affecting many people, namely, excluding unmarried partners of European citizens and residents from the travel restrictions into the EU.

"Under the current legal situation, member states can allow unmarried partners with duly attested relationships to enter the EU if they choose to do so. We repeatedly encouraged member states to use this possibility. Currently, only a minority of member states do so.

"We will continue to call on all member states to allow the entry of people in duly attested relationships with European citizens and residents without delay," he added.

The Commission has not, however, explained what "duly attested" entails.

The issue has been gaining traction in recent weeks with couples sharing their plight on social media using #LoveIsNotTourism and #LoveIsEssential.

According to the Love Is Not Tourism group, the issue impacts approximately 9,000 EU citizens and residents.

Only seven of the 31 countries in the EU/EEA and the single market currently allow the unmarried foreign partner of one of their national or resident to join them. These are the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland.

Germany announced on Friday that it would join them starting next week.

France is widely expected to also lift restrictions for unmarried couples after junior minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne said earlier this week that the Foreign Ministry is working on this "painful" problem and that a solution would be unveiled "in the coming days".

The EU's expression of support of Germany's announcement that restriction would be lifted has been cheered by the community online.

Felix Urbasik, the creator of Love Is Not Tourism campaign wrote on Twitter in response to Brussels' show of support: "It took you a damn long time EU Commission, but once again, you are showing that you actually care about you citizens. Thank you."

Robin Maximilian Brune, a campaigner for the reunification of binational couples between Europe, and non-EU countries cheered Germany's announcement, writing: "Love always wins".

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