Finland to ease border controls with 6 countries, Sweden excluded

Finland announced on Thursday that it would ease border controls with Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the three Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from next Monday. However, Finland still abstained from wider relaxation with the rest of the Schengen area, and neighbouring Sweden was exempted from the easing.

According to the government arrangement, Finland will relax entry controls in air transport and scheduled ferry services from the six listed countries from next Monday.

The decisions also mean that Finnish residents who have gone to those countries can return to Finland without having to take a 14-day quarantine.

Border controls for arrivals from Sweden would continue. Finnish Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo said at a press conference that the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Sweden does not make it possible to ease entry to Finland, though Finland keeps evaluating the situation in Sweden.

In a move concerning the whole Schengen area, however, Finland will allow the entry of those residents of the Schengen countries who have property in Finland or have a relationship or date with someone in Finland. Ohisalo said that border guards will accept an oral statement from the visitors about the dating, no other proof is required.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that Finland would appreciate reciprocity in these actions. He noted that the Baltic countries had already earlier opened their borders to Finns.

Haavisto said he was expecting decisions from Norway and Denmark shortly, but Finland had already done its part now.

Haavisto said people in Finland can go to other countries than the six, at their own risk, but would face the 14-day quarantine upon back-arrival. Asked specifically about Germany, Haavisto noted that Germany is a major transit country in European transport, and thus Finland at this phase was not able to ease travel from Germany.