Germany to start gradual easing of border controls

Germany will start to gradually ease some of the border controls imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Wednesday.

The goal is to have free travel in Europe from June 15, said Seehofer.

General border controls with France, Switzerland and Austria due to end May 15 will be extended to June 15, but as many crossings as possible will be reopened, said Seehofer.

He also warned that the border controls could be re-imposed if there are new outbreaks. 

Germany's number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose by 798 to 171,306 on Wednesday, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed. The death toll rose by 101 to 7,634.