London, May 16 (IANS) People travelling to the UK from France will no longer be exempt from the governments 14-day quarantine period, unless their journey was for business, the media reported.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had announced that anyone flying into the UK will have to spend 14 days in isolation before being able to move freely around the country, the Metro newspaper reported.
These rules were not set to apply to France, but ministers have now reportedly scrapped their blanket exemption.
It comes after concerns that the previous exemption could be exploited, with travellers from other countries flying to the UK through France.
The new proposal is expected to be unveiled next week by officials after the details have been finalised, according to the newspaper report.
A Whitehall source told the Daily Telegraph: “The French don’t want a blanket exemption, only freight and business travel.
“You have to remember there are multinational firms in Europe that are testing every single one of their workers for coronavirus two times a week.”
The European Union had previously warned that the UK could face huge lawsuits in the European Court of Justice if only France was granted an exemption from the 14-day isolation period.
The only other country granted exemption is Ireland.
Anyone from other countries who refuses to self-isolate after arriving could face punishments of up to a 1,000 pounds fine or deportation.
–IANS
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