France says it is working on a plan to “ensure that movement from the UK can resume” – after it banned freight and travel.
Transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said cross-EU talks will take place within hours to “establish a solid health protocol” that could begin to unblock the port of Dover.
He added the priority will be “to protect our nationals and our fellow citizens”.
Lorries are parked up in Kent with no way to cross the Channel by train or ferry, following the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus that Prime Minister Boris Johnson said could be up to 70% more transmissible than existing ones.
Earlier, the UK’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps insisted the travel chaos would not impact distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is being imported from Belgium.