Belgium has accepted, with entry into force as of Wednesday, an extension of the list of essential trips authorized within the framework of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic to four categories, including sailors and students, announced on Minister of Foreign Affairs, Philippe Goffin.
The Belgian authorities have also authorized citizens of European Union and Schengen area countries (ie the EU +) and third country nationals legally resident in the EU, as well as their family members, to travel at their convenience in the EU + – including also in Belgium.
These decisions follow the adoption on Tuesday of the European recommendation which authorizes the gradual lifting of restrictions on non-essential travel from around fifteen countries outside the EU.
Belgium has started its consultations with the experts of the public services concerned to lead to a “prudent reopening of its borders”, underlined Mr. Goffin (MR) in a press release.
Belgium thus accepts today (Wednesday) an extension of the list of essential trips authorized to four categories: seafarers, people who participate in meetings of international organizations, students and highly qualified personnel whose work does not can be done remotely (taking into account the visa procedures that are currently in force), said the head of diplomacy.
As for EU + citizens and third country nationals legally resident in the EU, as well as their family members, they can now travel wherever they want in the EU +, including to Belgium, and no longer only in their country of residence, underlines the press release.
The Union, where the Covid-19 pandemic is receding, reopened its borders on Wednesday to fifteen states (Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New- Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay and China, but on condition that Pekin admits “non-essential” visitors from the EU to its soil, which does not ‘is currently not the case).
“It is now up to our experts to define the practical arrangements allowing again the arrival on Belgian territory of non-essential travelers from the aforementioned countries, and – conversely – the departure of our compatriots to some of these country, while respecting the health precautions necessary to keep the epidemic under control. This exercise will last at least until July 7, “concluded Mr. Goffin.
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