Travel ban and extensive isolation: what are the consequences for companies?

From 25 January, all travellers travelling to Belgium from the UK, South Africa and South America will be required to be quarantined for 10 days and have to take a corona test on day 1 and day 7.

From 27 January, travel to and from Belgium for recreational tourist purposes, irrespective of the means of transport, will be prohibited. The travel ban will be enforced.

Movements for other reasons remain possible:

• professional reasons for the pursuit of a professional activity;
• compelling family reasons (e.g. co-parenting movements, funeral);
• humanitarian reasons (e.g. medical reason);
• study reasons;
• reasons in the daily lives of inhabitants of border regions (e.g. daily shopping);
• other different reasons (e.g. moving house). 

Those who move from and to Belgium for one of these essential reasons will always have to submit a declaration under oath using a model form (provided by the Minister of the Interior). That statement must be linked to the mandatory Passenger Location Form, and supported by the necessary documents.

The intention is to test every non-resident travelling to Belgium, in addition to the mandatory negative test prior to departure, on arrival in Belgium.

People who test positive for COVID-19 will have to be in isolation for up to 10 days from January 27 (instead of seven days).

After a high-risk contact or trip to our country, the duration of quarantine remains ten days. That duration may be reduced to a minimum of seven days on condition of a negative test taken at the earliest seven days after exposure.

The consultation committee will evaluate the infection figures on 5 February with a view to the possible reopening of the non-medical contact professions (hairdressers, beauty salons).