Several measures taken during the concert committee take effect on Monday.
Published on 04/17/2021 at 8:45 p.m.
Representatives of the federal government, the community and the regions met on Wednesday in the long-awaited advisory committee after the Easter holidays at the Egmont Palace in Brussels. Ministers at different levels of government have had to cut different knots. After more than 7 hours of meeting, they managed to agree on several short-term versions and other longer ones.
Reopening of schools
After the end of the Easter holidays, on April 19, classes continue in the system in place before the Easter holidays. Here’s what that actually means:
Kindergarten education, primary education, special secondary education, first level of secondary education and in-service training: 100% face-to-face;
Second and third level of secondary education: 50%
Higher education: indicated “in code orange, which means a simultaneous presence of 20% in the establishments. Examinations can also be organized in code orange. Some of them can therefore be organized face to face if the distance of 1 5 m between the students is respected (1st place out of 5).
If the levels of contamination evolve favorably and according to the assessment of the ministers of education to be submitted to the advisory committee, secondary education at 100% in class may continue from May 3.
Non-essential travel:
The ban on non-essential travel within the European Union expires on April 19. When it comes to travel outside the Union, EU rules still apply. A negative travel warning remains valid for all non-essential travel.
On return, passengers must comply with a strict mandatory testing and quarantine regime. The passenger locator form will allow police to identify people who will not be tested on return. Anyone who does not comply with the filtering rules is liable to a coronal fine of €250.
This does not mean that from Monday it will suddenly be possible to go abroad without conditions, stressed Alexander De Croo after the conclusion of the advisory committee. The ban on non-essential travel at the Belgian border “will replace the strict controls” of verification obligations and quarantines applicable to returns from areas considered to be at risk (red zones).
This check will be carried out on the basis of the information mentioned in the PLF, a “passenger search form” to be completed by a person arriving in Belgium. “We always give negative advice when traveling in red zones,” insisted Alexander De Croo.
The ban on non-essential cross-border travel came into force on January 27 with a number of exceptions and immediately raised concerns within the European Commission. It was then extended twice until April 18.
The federal government has stressed that, in order to abolish it, a new cooperation agreement must be concluded with the federal entities, which will allow, in practice, the competent authorities to provide the information necessary for monitoring security checks and compliance obligations. quarantine. for returnees. This agreement was recently ratified by several parliaments.