A 40-kilometer row of trucks loomed together at the German-Polish border when controls were reestablished to prevent Covid-19.

Modern Europe is built on the idea of bringing together the countries in the region by removing borders. But within a week, Covid-19 forced countries to re-establish borders across the continent, challenging the basic model of the European Union (EU).

The EU agreed to impose a 30-day entry ban on noncitizens in the bloc to prevent the spread of nCoV. "We are facing a serious crisis, an unprecedented crisis both in size and nature," said European Council President Charles Michel. "We want to repel this threat. We want to slow the spread of the virus." Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron declared the country "at war" with nCoV.

Until last week, EU citizens were able to move easily across the continent despite signs that nCoV is spreading rapidly. As of March 17, 19 countries that opened their borders began to impose new border controls.

Because European countries are now so interdependent, many countries no longer build on a subsistence mechanism, producing everything they need, so the impact of internal blockade can be quick. turned into a disaster, experts said.

Trucks carrying goods from Germany and Poland yesterday had to line up 40 km long when Polish border officers checked the driver's temperature, overall health and other documents before allowing them to clear customs.

Meanwhile, Estonia, Lativa and Lithuania, the only three countries connected to the rest of Europe via Poland, had to carry out a rescue campaign by air and by sea to bring citizens back home. .

"The situation is very difficult," Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said. "We need an uninterrupted flow of goods because our economy is struggling, just like every other country in the world."

Analysts assess another major risk from the re-imposition of border control measures that the medical supplies needed to combat nCoV will be congested at the border, thereby weakening the ability to cope with the crisis. panic of the whole Europe.

EU citizens are stuck "in Europe itself and this must end," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed. "We need to continue shipping goods across the border, especially medical supplies."

European leaders on March 17 spent three hours discussing border issues as well as cargo congestion. They agreed to create separate lanes with special priorities for cargo trucks to help them move faster.

But Europe's problem is not only in logistics. France and Germany last week imposed limits on essential medical equipment manufactured in their territory, banning the export of protective gear, including masks, to any other country, including Italy, which is struggling with a shortage of medical supplies.

After persuading EU leaders, Paris and Berlin recently relaxed the ban. But the clear message was sent: In a crisis, don't rely on your neighbors to help you through.

"For the EU, this is really an existential threat," said Stefano Stefanini, a former diplomat who now serves as a security adviser in Brussels. "If the EU is perceived to be inadequate, insufficient interest or insufficient efforts are faced with challenges, people will have doubts, what is the EU needed to do?"

"Europe's sense of solidarity is shaken when your neighbors refuse to export medical equipment," Stefanini said.

Outside the EU, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic reacted fiercely to the news last week of the EU imposed a total export ban on protective equipment for health workers such as masks or protective clothing. This measure helps the countries in the bloc partly cope with the shortage but push the neighboring countries into a difficult position.

"International solidarity does not exist. European unity does not exist," President Vucic said.

According to some analysts, the EU's challenge will diminish over time as the whole bloc can adapt to the new context. For example, after the 2015 immigration crisis, the EU still stood firm even then, many countries re-imposed border control. Control measures are removed when the situation gradually stabilizes.

However, Daniela Schwarzer, head of the German Council on Foreign Relations, said the situation was "not satisfactory" when the governments of the countries did not really cooperate.

The EU "is trying to promote intra-regional cooperation in dealing with the crisis, but if governments refuse to shake hands, this will be extremely difficult," Schwarzer said. "If crisis is not handled through cooperation, the loss of life and wealth will increase."

On the other hand, policymakers warn that once internal borders are set up due to epidemics, it will be difficult to bring them down. Unlike the 2015 immigration crisis when the flow of people to Europe quickly slowed down, Covid-19's performance is still unclear. The number of new infections in countries such as Italy, France and Germany continues to increase rapidly.

"When are we ready to lift restrictions and bans?" Latvian Foreign Minister Rinkevics asked. "If we open schools and facilities are closed again, what will happen if the number of people infected continues to increase because we have not completely eliminated the virus? This is something we have not discussed. ".

Closing borders for "a legitimate purpose" is to slow the spread of the virus, but "how long can we do so?", He said.