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Phase 4 of the phasing out will start on 1 July

Wash your hands regularly. Wear a face mask. Keep a distance of 1.5 m. Limit yourself to 1 close contact. Look out for vulnerable people. Work from home. Ventilate indoor spaces. Take your activities outside.
The National Security Council, extended to include the ministers-president, reached an agreement to proceed with phase 4 of the phasing-out from 1 July, on the basis of the agreement of the GEES experts, who refers to the favourable evolution of the epidemiological situation.

The six golden rules remain in force:

  • compliance with hygiene measures;
  • preferably organize activities in open air;
  • taking extra precautions for people who are in high-risk groups;
  • respecting safety distances;
  • the enlarged bubble, which is increased from 10 to 15 different people per week, in addition to your family. As a reminder, this is an individual right;
  • group activities may not involve more than 15 persons, including children. This applies to all informal gatherings, whether they take place indoors or outdoors.

Are allowed to open under certain conditions:

  • swimming pools and wellness centres;
  • amusement parks and indoor playgrounds;
  • theatres and cinemas;
  • casinos and gaming halls;
  • conference rooms;
  • reception and function rooms with a limit of 50 people.

One of the conditions is that protocols are followed. In addition, the general rules already in force for other activities, such as the mandatory observance of safety distances, the introduction of time slots and crowd management, the cleaning of infrastructure and the wearing of face masks are still strongly recommended.

The following activities may not yet be resumed at this stage:

  • activities linked to nightlife, such as nightclubs;
  • mass events.

Nevertheless, it will be possible to organise activities with an audience present from 1 July, subject to certain conditions laid down in protocols.

For regular events held in permanent infrastructures such as theatres, cinemas, stands and congress halls that are organized, protocols will be developed with the competent ministers and GEES experts.

For one-off events taking place in the public space an online tool (matrix) will be available from 1 July, which will serve as a reference for local authorities when granting permits for these events. Clear rules will also have to be applied.

All these events are subject to a capacity limit:

  • 200 people indoors;
  • 400 people outdoors.

This capacity limit will be increased in August to 400 people indoors and 800 people outdoors, provided the health situation allows for it. An exception to exceed this limit may be requested for permanent infrastructures with a seated public, subject to safety regulations.

The maximum number of attendees for outdoor events also applies to demonstrations. These must always be the subject of a request for permission from the local authorities. In any case, they must always be static and take place in an area where safety distances can be observed.

At the same time, in addition to the resumption of these activities, certain protocols will be relaxed from 1 July:

  • The possibility to go to the store with people from the contact bubble and without time limit. Safety distance always applies.
  • Lifting the restriction on the number of market stalls. Health protocols and measures continue to apply.

With regard to the National Holiday, it was decided that the traditional military and civil parade will exceptionally take place in a different format in order to meet health requirements. Various artistic performances will take place in symbolic places to put our country and our artists in the spotlight. They will be broadcast live on TV. More details will follow later.

As far as the longer-term prospects are concerned, preparations for the start of the new school year are already in full swing. The Ministers of Education, in collaboration with the GEES experts, have drawn up a colour-coded system that indicates how schools should organise themselves on the basis of the health situation. The Ministers of Education will explain this plan in more detail during a press conference.