France is the most recent country to join the rest of the Schengen Members on the introduction of internal border controls as a measure for fighting the further outbreak of the COVID-19.

Contrary to the 20-day border reintroduction applied by the other countries, most of which have been extended for an additional 20 days, France has taken a step further announcing it will keep its border controls in place for seven months, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

According to the European Commission, which the Member States are obliged to inform on the reintroduction of border controls, France decided to extend its border controls which have been in place for years now due to persistent terror threat, to internal borders, until October 31.

“France (October 31, 2019 – October 31, 2020) Coronavirus COVID-19, persistent terrorist threat, high profile political event in Paris, secondary movements; all internal borders.”

The decision has been taken after the President of France, Emanuel Macron, had raged at the EU leaders for unilaterally reintroducing temporary internal border checks at the end of March, warning that this may be the end of the Schengen Area.

During a videoconference on COVID-19 pandemic with other leaders of the Schengen Area Countries, President Macron warned that the EU’s key projects, including the borderless area, could be at danger if the nations fail to show solidarity.

“What’s at stake is the survival of the European project… The risk we are facing is the death of Schengen,” Macron said during the six-hour videoconference of the leaders.

Whereas during another videoconference last week, the French President Emmanuel Macron warned the UK Primer Boris Johnson that he would shut the border if the UK government did not undertake any steps to toughen restrictive measure for curing the coronavirus.

While the UK started applying stricter rules undertaken Friday afternoon, PM’s office denied any suggestion that the stricter rules were triggered because of another country’s warnings.

France announced a nationwide lockdown last Tuesday. People are not allowed to leave their homes, unless for buying food, visiting a doctor or going to work. The mayor of Paris has called for stricter confinement measures as the number of infections increases worldwide.