EC planning to ban all non-essential travel to the European Union – BBC/SKY

The BBC reports that the European Commission is planning to ban all non-essential travel to the European Union after more countries within the bloc closed their borders to try to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Sky News reports that Leaders in the European Union have agreed to close the bloc's external borders for 30 days to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Key notes

• Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would ask leaders to implement the measures on Tuesday.
• "The less travel, the more we can contain the virus," she said.
• Meanwhile, tough new measures in France restricting movement from the home are coming into effect on Tuesday.
• Long-term residents, family members of EU nationals and diplomats will be exempt.
• The proposal was to be discussed in a video-summit with EU leaders on Tuesday afternoon hosted by European Council chief Charles Michel.
• The latest World Heath Organization (WHO) figures list 173,000 infections globally and 7,000 deaths.