Decision of the Consultative Committee on travel abroad

Today, Wednesday 8 July, the Consultative Committee met in the presence of the Group of Experts in charge of the Exit Strategy (GEES) to define the epidemiological strategy regarding people who return from so-called “high-risk” zones, as part of the fight against Covid-19 in Belgium. The National Security Council has already regulated non-essential travel abroad by strictly limiting the list of countries accessible for Belgians to European member states and/or countries in the Schengen zone (31 countries). However, the unstable health situation in some of these regions, initially considered to be safe, requires a clear roadmap to reduce the risk of the epidemic in our country flaring up again.

The general approach to cross-border travel restrictions/recommendations distinguishes between red, orange and green zones. These zones are published on the Foreign Affairs website.

1. Red zones are cities, towns, municipalities, districts, regions or countries that have been placed on lockdown by the country in question. The list of red zones may be extended, as advised by CELEVAL, to include cities, towns, districts, regions or countries considered to be at very high risk, including within the Schengen+ zone, on the basis of objective epidemiological criteria.

Belgium issues a formal travel ban for these zones. Travellers returning from these zones will be treated as “high-risk contacts”, which means that they will have to undergo mandatory testing and quarantine.

2. Orange zones are cities, towns, municipalities, districts, regions or countries with a high health risk according to CELEVAL, on the basis of objective epidemiological criteria.

Belgium strongly discourages people to travel to these zones.

Travellers returning from these areas will be asked to undergo testing and to quarantine.

3. Green zones are cities, towns, municipalities, districts, regions or countries with no or low health risk according to CELEVAL, on the basis of objective epidemiological criteria.

No special restrictions will be imposed on these zones. Precautions still apply.