Finland says it will tighten travel restrictions and reintroduce and step up border checks for arrivals from 10 countries starting as of this week due to the worsening pandemic situation in Europe and elsewhere. The Finnish government says border checks will apply for passengers to and from Nordic neighbours Denmark, Iceland and Norway as well as Germany, Greece and Malta – all countries belonging to the European Union’s borderless Schengen area.

Outside the Schengen area, border checks will be stepped up for arrivals from Cyprus, Ireland, San Marino and Japan.

Passengers arriving to Finland from those countries are recommended to self-quarantine for 14 days. Travel in Finland’s border areas with Sweden and Norway is more relaxed.

Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo says Finland’s current coronavirus travel policies are among the tightest in the EU.

Border checks can be relaxed if a country records fewer than eight infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the past two weeks.