The Consultative Committee of Governments has as expected decided to allow non-essential leisure travel from and to member states of the European Union. Starting 19 April. But it’s not a free pass. 

The European Commission had lost its patience with the Kingdom of Belgium regarding the issue. Liberty of travel is a fundamental value of the EU. 

But!

Whoever enters Belgium after a 48 hour (or longer) stay in a red zone, will have to go into quarantaine for a week and will have to be tested for COVID-19 on day 1 and on day 7. 

There’s no exception for whom already has been vaccinated. This modus vivendi will stay in place until Europe implements the Digital Green Certificate also known as COVID passport. 

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld) strongly discourages tourism. “It’s not the time to travel”, the PM said. 

There will be checks on the truthfully filling in the (in)famous Passenger Locator Form. And the police will check if you have undergone the tests. 

Red zones

Belgium’s Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs isn’t showing a map of coloured zones at the moment, as non-essential travel still is not allowed. It’s not 19 April yet. De Standaard has a map.

Tailored travel advice for each country is available. 

As a reminder

Member states of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

The Schenen Area: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark (excluding Greenland and the Faroe Islands), metropolitan France, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Note that the FPS Foreign Affairs also takes Vatican City, San Marino, Andorra and Monaco into account.

United Kingdom‘s travel fate is unclear.