EU faces challenges over exit strategy

Across Europe, leaders of countries are grappling with difficult decisions over the lifting of novel coronavirus containment measures in order to restart their economies, while avoiding a second wave of infections.

But as novel coronavirus deaths in many of the hardest-hit countries appear to be plateauing, and even falling in some cases, the lifting of Europe's lockdown measures does not appear entirely coordinated.

European Union member states have 27 different healthcare systems, 27 different infection rates and 27 different priorities as regards to reviving their badly beaten economies.

The EU has urged member states to coordinate closely as they ease their lockdowns, while the World Health Organization, or WHO, warned that all transitional steps back to normal life must be taken cautiously and evaluated carefully.

The WHO has advised a wait of at least two weeks to evaluate the impact of any changes before easing restrictions again.

Spain and Italy, the worst affected EU nations, have renewed their lockdowns but begun allowing some non-essential workers back to work, while France has said it will start easing restrictions from May 11. Spanish children haven't been allowed outside for more than five weeks now.

Germany will partially reopen schools from May 4, at first for some children in primary or secondary school, with smaller shops as well as bookshops, bike stores and car dealerships, to open from the following Monday.

In Denmark, citizens can now get a haircut at a salon for the first time in a month, as the Nordic country takes the next step to gradually relax its restrictions.

The EU said all action among its members should be gradual and coordinated, stressing that any other approach risked "negative effects for all member states" and could lead to political frictions.

In the United Kingdom, no longer a member of the EU, and where ministers are reluctant to discuss any end to restrictions, newspapers have highlighted a so-called traffic light strategy, supposedly drawn up by government scientists to ease Britain out of lockdown in three stages, starting in mid-May.

The BBC's Europe editor, Katya Adler, commented: "EU leaders jealously guard the right to decide their own national health and border controls, especially in an emergency. At the same time, they're quick to blame 'the European Union' (i.e. fellow European leaders) for not demonstrating sufficient solidarity in the coronavirus crisis."

She added: "The French president and the prime ministers of Spain, Italy and Portugal have all recently warned the future of the EU is now in danger.

"German Chancellor Angela Merkel is a reference point for many in Europe: calm, authoritative and very careful about over-promising. Her chosen way forward is to test widely, then trace and quarantine those who've been in contact with newly infected individuals. The European Commission and Council presidents agree, but they've played a pretty backstage role so far."

Italy's government will later this week outline a plan to reopen the country by the first week of May, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Tuesday.

The Italian lockdown has been in place since March 9, putting a major strain on the erurozone's third-largest economy.

In a Facebook post, Conte said: "I wish I could say: let's reopen everything. Immediately. We start tomorrow morning ... But such a decision would be irresponsible. It would make the contagion curve go up in an uncontrolled way and would nullify all the efforts we have made so far. We must act on the basis of a national (reopening) plan, which however takes into account the territorial peculiarities."

EU recommendations issued last week state that social distancing should be maintained and there should be no general return to work. It said limits should be considered on the number of customers and pupils allowed in shops and classrooms.