The statement follows Tuesday’s conclusion by German federal public health body, the Robert Koch Institute, that the grand duchy had the worst per-capita infection rate of Europe. 

According to the foreign ministry’s statement, while “no federal state prohibits entry from Luxembourg”, meaning there weren’t any closures or controls between the borders of the neighbouring countries, quarantine requirements “var[y] slightly from state to state, but it should be emphasised that the German cross-border commuters from Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland are not affected”. 

Cross-border workers from the aforementioned German states are not currently impacted. Exemptions have also been made for “necessary” travel which, again, can vary from state to state. “In Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, this applies particularly to students, people who want to visit family members or people who need medical care.”

The ministry added: “It is very important to emphasise that even people who are not exempt from these regulations can still travel to Germany without going to quarantine if they can show a medical certificate that is based on a negative molecular biological corona test, which is no longer was issued 48 hours before entering Germany.” Such a certificate is required to be kept for 14 days and must be in either English or German. 

On the flip side, Germans from Rhineland-Palatinate are not required to quarantine upon return home after a visit of up to 72 hours in the grand duchy, and discussions are underway for this to be applied in Saarland as well. 

The ministry added that, given that it cannot rule out the possibility of changes, it is best to visit Germany’s federal state websites for up-to-date information.