Belgium has added to the list of categories of travelers with an essential function or need, and has issued an update on restrictions on non-essential travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. List of categories of essential travelers. Belgium has extended, effective July 2, 2020, the list of specific categories of travelers with an essential function or need to “4 categories: mariners, persons attending meetings of international organisations, students and highly qualified personnel whose work cannot be carried out at a distance (taking into account the visa procedures currently in force).” Furthermore, EU+ citizens and third-country nationals legally residing in the European Union, as well as their family members, can travel wherever they wish in the EU+, including Belgium, and no longer only in their country of residence. The Belgium government listed “EU+” countries in a public statement from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Philippe Goffin (https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/newsroom/news/2020/non_essential_travel_outside_eu_no_major_changes_before_7_july). “Highly qualified personnel whose work cannot be carried out at a distance” refers to the category “highly qualified third-country workers if their employment is necessary from an economic perspective and the work cannot be postponed or performed abroad” as mentioned in the EU Council Recommendation 9208/20, dated June 30, 2020. For the time being, […]
