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Belgium’s Consultation Committee to discuss potential travel ban

By Alexandra Brzozowski | EURACTIV.com

22-01-2021

´Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo leaves a face-to-face EU summit, in Brussels, Belgium, 11 December 2020. [EPA-EFE/FRANCISCO SECO]

Belgium’s Consultation Committee, which includes representatives of the various governments of the country, is set to examine whether a ban on non-essential travel could be imposed in the absence of an EU-wide solution after the EU summit on Thursday.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) announced the plans before the EU summit on Thursday as Brussels aims to repeat a surge in non-essential travel before the spring break.

EU leader “strongly discouraged” Europeans from non-essential travel and warned tougher restrictions on trips could come within days if efforts to curb the coronavirus fell short.

During Friday’s meeting, Belgian officials are set to determine what constitutes non-essential movements plus the duration of the stay across the border.

Anyone who has now stayed in a red zone for 48 hours or more must be quarantined for seven days when they return home and must also be tested.

The question of increasing the mandatory quarantine period to 10-14 days when returning will also be raised, Belga news agency reported.

A recent ministerial decree had already extended the current measures until 1 March.

(Alexandra Brzozowski, EURACTIV.com)

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