Posted on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 5:43 p.m.
Deconfinement continues in Belgium. It is now possible for Belgians to cross the border to do their shopping and see their family, the measure has been enshrined in law. But France had announced that it did not intend to reopen its borders, and therefore the Belgians were driven back there. In some municipalities in the Netherlands, we were “surprised” by the Belgian decision! Foreign Affairs reacted this afternoon: we can go to Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, but not to France!
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From today, Belgians could cross the border to see their family and also to do their shopping, announced the Minister of the Interior Pieter De Crem Friday evening, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Philippe Goffin, this Saturday morning. Only border countries were affected by this new measure, which works in both directions. However, a clarification had not been mentioned: France is not concerned
! (to read below)
This Saturday, the measure passed into law. In the publication in the Belgian Monitor, one can thus read: ” Non-essential journeys from Belgium and to Belgium are prohibited. By way of derogation from the first paragraph, it is authorized to visit family members who live in a neighboring country, while respecting the conditions laid down (security, editor’s note), as well as to shop in a neighboring country. “
However, bad surprises for many Belgians this morning. Many of them were driven back to the Franco-Belgian and Belgian-Dutch borders this Saturday.
France confirms that its borders remain closed
Because France has no intention of opening its borders to its neighbors before June 15, as a spokesperson for the French Interior Ministry told our RTL colleagues. “As we have always said, our borders will not reopen until June 15. Of course, Belgium authorizes the exit of its territory but France still does not open its borders “.
Contacted by our colleagues from La Voix du Nord, the prefecture of Nord confirmed that it was out of the question for the French to plan a getaway to Belgium today, just as the Belgians will have to wait a little longer to come go shopping in France.
It is therefore impossible to cross the border except for the reasons already in force (professional reasons, alternate custody, assistance to vulnerable persons, medical care, etc.), where one must always have a derogatory travel certificate. A document is available on the French Ministry of the Interior website. If Belgians are checked at the French border without valid reason, the police will ask them to turn around. If they are controlled within French territory, a fine of 135 euros is applicable, the French Interior Ministry explained to RTL.
The Netherlands surprised
In the Netherlands, we were surprised by the Belgian decision. “The Belgians are good at surprise tactics,” reacted Marga Vermue, mayor of L’Écluse, a small Dutch town near the Belgian border, to our colleagues at VRT. “In March, the border suddenly closed without any consultation, and now we are surprised again. “
She claims to have had consultations with mayors on the Belgian side of the border this week, and said that no one was aware of government plans at the time. And it is formal: it has not been officially notified of the ministerial decree published this morning in the Belgian Monitor. “This is not a good example of communication,” she says. Urgent consultations are underway, she said. But the situation could therefore normalize.
No problem in Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, on the other hand, no problem: the Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Assleborn had already announced Friday evening that these trips would be allowed and welcomed the decision taken in Belgium.
Foreign Affairs finally reacts: no visits to France!
This morning, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Philippe Goffin explained that it was simply a “floating” situation. “It is true that the decree is published today so I understand that there is a little fluctuation for an hour or two in relation to the application of this rule. It is settling in and we are in a gradual process of reopening the borders, careful and ideally concerted, “explained Philippe Goffin at the microphone of RTL-TVI.
However, as we have seen all day, this explanation did not hold water. Contacted from everywhere, Foreign Affairs finally took stock this Saturday afternoon: France is not affected by these new measures! Bad communication from the political world so Friday evening …
Since this Saturday, Belgians are allowed to visit family members residing in Germany, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg or the Netherlands. They can also cross the border to make purchases in these countries, provided they comply with the measures in force. These authorizations do not however concern France, where only essential travel is permitted, specify Foreign Affairs, as explained above. It is necessary to have and to complete a certificate for an international trip.
Problems at the Dutch border should therefore hopefully be a distant memory soon. By cons for France, it will still be necessary to wait …
As a reminder, visits beyond the were prohibited since March 20 due to the measures against coronavirus, when the borders were closed to non-essential movements.
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