Spain expands controls over people arriving by land from risk areas in France

Saturday 27th March 2021 | PRESS RELEASE; translation MIKE SMITH

The Ministry of Health have published a Ministerial Order today which establishes health control measures for people arriving in Spain by land from risk areas in France.

The Order established that people over the age of 6, coming from these areas of France, who arrived in Spain by land, must be able to provide proof of a negative result from a PCR test (RT-PCR), a TMA test, or another type of diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 based on equivalent molecular techniques, that has been taken within 72 hours prior to arrival.

These risk areas consist of all zones of France classified by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) with a risk level of dark red, red, orange or grey which are based on the combined indicators established in the Recommendation (EU) 2021/119 of the Council dated February 1st 2021, which amended Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475 on a coordinated approach to restricting free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As specified in the Ministerial Order, road transport hauliers are exempt in the exercise of their professional activity as well as cross-border workers, residents in border areas within a radius of 30 kilometres around their place of residence.

The Order will take effect three days after its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) – link below – and remain in effect until the Government declares the end of the health crisis situation caused by COVID-19, in accordance with the provisions of Article 2.3 of the Royal Decree-Law 21/2020, dated June 9th 2020, on the urgent prevention, containment and coordination measures to face the health crisis caused by COVID-19.

In any case, the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council, dated April 27th 2016, regarding the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of their personal data and the free circulation of this data and Organic Law 3/2018, dated December 5th 2018, on the Protection of Data and Guarantee of Digital Rights.

In the case of non-compliance with the provisions of this order, the regime contemplated in Title VI of the Law 33/2011, dated October 4th 2011, General Public Health, which refers to infractions and sanctions, will apply.

For the fulfillment of what is contemplated in the Ministry of Health Order, the collaboration of the Security Forces and Bodies may be counted on.

External Link – PDF
Orden SND/292/2021, de 26 de marzo, por la que se establecen medidas de
control sanitario a las personas procedentes de Francia que llegan a España
por vía terrestre.

Information Source
Press Release – Ministerio de Sanidad