Coronavirus measures

The City of Brussels has taken several decisions in order to best respect the measures of the federal government in the fight against the coronavirus (Covid-19). More info: coronavirus measures by the City of Brussels.

 

Coronavirus measures by the City of Brussels

The City of Brussels has taken several decisions in order to best respect the measures of the federal government in the fight against the coronavirus (Covid-19).

The Brussels Provincial Crisis Unit has agreed on the following measures (since Monday 28 September):

The National Security Council has taken measures which apply throughout the country. More info:

The Brussels Provincial Crisis Unit has agreed on the following measures (since Monday 28 September 2020):

  • closing of bars and cafes at 11 pm
  • food consumption prohibited in markets
  • ban on gatherings of more than 10 people in public spaces from 11 pm to 6 am

And from Thursday 1 October 2020:

  • obligation to always have a face mask with you
  • obligation to wear that mask in shopping areas and around schools

The counters at the Administrative Centre are open from Monday to Friday (with openings on Thursday evening until 6:30 pm). The reception will continue as much as possible by appointment.

All citizens are asked to:

  • come alone (unless the presence of another person is necessary)
  • wear a face mask during their visit (obligatory)
  • disinfect their hands at the entrance of the building

Citizens must respect the safety distances thanks to a marking on the ground indicating the place where they must stand.

  • Online services: the e-desk and My file remain available to request a lot of certificates and documents.
  • Information: for simple questions please contact us on 02 279 22 11 or by e-mail (all addresses can be found on our website).

More info:

All services of the Town Planning Department are closed to the public. However, a telephone permanence is assured and the use of e-mail is recommended.

Submitting permit applications

New applications for planning and environmental permits (or additional documents to an already submitted file) can only be submitted by post.

Suspension of periods

In application of several power of attorney decisions adopted by the Government of the Brussels Capital Region during the lockdown, the expiry periods, appeal periods and all periods of which the expiry has a legal effect as laid down in the regulations were suspended from 16 March 2020 and until 15 June 2020.

The acts and decisions adopted during this suspension period are fully legally valid.

Pursuant to the new power of attorney decision No. 2020/038 (PDF, 312.53 KB) adopted by the Government of the Brussels Capital Region on 10 June 2020, some terms of the Brussels Town Planning Code and the Ordinance of 5 June 1997 on environmental permits have also been extended, depending on the date of the submission of the application, the type of application or the stage of the procedure.

Public inquiries

Public inquiries were suspended since 16 March 2020.

Public inquiries restarted on 1 June 2020, but this restart involves many measures and a specific organization to ensure that the social distance rules as well as the necessary hygiene measures can be observed to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

For example, from now on, the consultation of the administrative file, the communication of technical explanations or submission of an oral complaint are by appointment only (02 279 29 29).

In addition, the restart prioritizes public inquiries that started before 16 March but were interrupted by the corona crisis. The days before 16 March are taken into account when these public inquiries are restarted. However, for practical reasons, we reserve the right to retake all such public inquiries.

Given the backlog during the lockdown and taking into account the current health measures, a restart of the special rules of disclosure (SRD = public inquiry and/or consultation committee) is planned after the regulatory summer break, based on a chronological treatment of the files.

Consequently, files will be started that could not be fully declared and of which the SRD could not be organized due to the lockdown. Once this backlog has been made up, the files that must be fully declared after the lockdown will be processed, also on a chronological basis.

According to the current estimate, the latter files will therefore not be able to be subjected to public inquiry until about mid-October, according to a schedule yet to be determined.

Consult the ongoing public inquiries at:

Consultation Committee

The meetings of the Consultation Committee have been canceled or suspended since 16 March 2020. They restarted from 1 June 2020, but this restart is accompanied by numerous measures and a specific organization to ensure that the rules of social distance as well as the necessary hygiene measures can be observed to help control the spread of Covid-19.

In addition, during the restart, priority is given to Consultation Committee meetings scheduled before 16 March but canceled due to the corona crisis (sessions of 17, 24 and 25 March 2020).

Given the backlog during the lockdown and taking into account the current health measures, a restart of the special rules of disclosure (SRD = public inquiry and/or consultation committee) is planned after the regulatory summer break, based on a chronological treatment of the files.

Consequently, files will be started that could not be fully declared and of which the SRD could not be organized due to the lockdown. Once this backlog has been made up, the files that must be fully declared after the lockdown will be processed, also on a chronological basis.

According to the current estimate, the latter files will therefore not be able to be subjected to public inquiry until about mid-October, according to a schedule yet to be determined.

Consult the new dates of the Consultation Committee meetings, the agenda and the advice issued by the Committee on:

From now on, the following rules apply during the hearings:

  • Only persons who expressly requested to be heard during the public inquiry will be admitted to the consultation committee
  • In the case of a petition, district committee or other association, the number of persons admitted to the consultation committee is limited to two per petition, per district committee or per association
  • Only persons in possession of an invitation are admitted to the consultation committee
  • The number of persons accompanying or representing the applicant is strictly limited to two, including the architect

Archives

Consulting archive files on site is temporarily no longer possible. If the files are available digitally, they will still be sent digitally.

Bonuses

Appointments for bonuses are currently not made, but requests for regional bonuses (premiums) for home renovation or facade decoration can be sent by e-mail:

The publicity of the sessions is ensured by broadcasting the debates via the website of the City:

Shops and traders

All shops are open. The list of businesses subject to the reopening:

Respect all safety and health instructions. Nose and mouth protection is required.

Night shops have to close at 10 pm throughout the city.

More info:

Safety measures at the Rue Neuve:

Markets

The markets are reopened since 18 May 2020 after validation by the municipal government, under strict conditions of social distance and hygiene.

A face mask is required at the markets.

These markets will reopen:

  • Anneessens market from Tuesday 19 May
  • Place Sainte Catherine organic market from Wednesday 20 May
  • Peter Benoit and Rue de Wand markets from Friday 22 May
  • Place Sainte Catherine market from Saturday 23 May
  • Chaussée d'Anvers market from Wednesday 3 June (from 8 am to 2 pm)
  • Bockstael market from Saturday 6 June (from 8 am to 1:30 pm, at the Place Willems)
  • Sablon antiques market from Saturday 13 June
  • Place du Jeu de Balle market from Sunday 21 June:
    • opening hours: Tuesday and Thursday from 9 am to 2 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm
    • hydroalcoholic gel is available to the customers
  • Anneessens bicycle market: from Sunday 12 July (opening hours: Sunday from 8 am to 2 pm)
  • Place Agora artisan market: from Friday 17 July (opening hours: Friday from 11 am to 7 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm)

Access to the markets is organized by the municipal authorities, so as to respect the rules of social distancing, in particular the maintenance of a distance of 1.5 meters between each person, as well as the appropriate prevention measures, which are at least equivalent to those in the Guide for the opening of shops.

Restart pack

Traders can use a 'restart pack' offered by the City (masks, gel, posters). Contact:

Stalls and foodtrucks

An individual ambulatory activity (food trucks, chicken stall, ice cream vendor…) may be carried out at the usual place, if it has prior permission from the municipal government.

Since Friday 15 May 2020, these itinerant traders can resume their activities at the City of Brussels. Traders who have a location at the Rue Neuve or who only sell alcoholic drinks cannot yet reopen to enforce the social distance safety rules (Rue Neuve, Place Sainte-Catherine):

Restaurants and cafes

Restaurants and cafes are open (since Monday 8 June 2020). They must keep records of their customers. Cafés and bars have to close at 11 pm. More info:

The Horeca Federation also offers you a solution based on a QR code to be scanned by the customer:

This measure also applies to the following places:

  • wellness centres
  • group sports lessons
  • swimming pools
  • casinos and automatic gambling halls
  • reception and party rooms

Need help?

Hotels and aparthotels

Hotels and aparthotels are open.

Support measures

A website lists the local shops as well as the restaurants according to your quarter (online order, take away or home delivery):

The services remain available:

More information is also available at:

More information on the federal, regional and municipal measures is also available at:

The check on regulated street parking started again on 18 May 2020. This measure, taken in consultation with the Brussels Capital Region, started at phase 2 of the phasing out of the lockdown measures. It applies both to the territory of the City of Brussels and to the 18 other municipalities of the Brussels Capital Region.

Contactless payments are possible via various applications (apps) on the regional BiPass platform. These apps can be downloaded on a smartphone:

The police offices in the quarters are temporarily closed. The police only welcomes you in the 4 central police offices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

After the decisions of the National Security Council of 24 April, the resumption of professional activities will take place at different stages (4 May, 11 May and 18 May). To ensure a gradual return, which is as comfortable as possible for all children, parents are requested to resume childcare in the nurseries (childcare) of the City of Brussels only in function of their real needs.

French-language childcare

The exemption measures (proof of absence and payment in the absence of children) were extended until 18 May by the ONE.

Dutch-language childcare

Dutch-language childcare will be provided for the following groups of children:

  • Children whose parent(s) can only work outside the home, both from the essential sectors and from the other sectors. The expansion of this group will proceed in accordance with the phasing-out plan of the National Security Council.
  • Children who grow up in a socially vulnerable family or in a family with many tensions where there is insecurity and violence (difficult home situation).

The coronavirus measures of Kind & Gezin remain applicable: parents who do not bring their children to the childcare centre because of the coronavirus crisis, do not have to pay for these days. They also do not lose any 'free days'.

Measures in all nurseries

In order not to take any risks with the health of our children and staff, the maximum health and hygiene measures are guaranteed in our childcare locations. Measures:

  • The childcare locations are cleaned and disinfected daily.
  • The staff, who are already accustomed to respecting the reinforced hygiene measures, will wear a mouth mask while administering all care to the children (changing, taking care of the nose,...) and during contact with the parents.
  • The sections will no longer have contact with each other (no more group meetings in the morning and evening) to form separate groups (children and childcare workers)
  • The care of the children can only exceptionally be assured from 8 am to 5 pm, because of the daily disinfection of all areas and all equipment and to allow the organization of these separate groups.
  • To avoid maximum unnecessary contact between parents, the reception at the entrance of the childcare location will take place according to a specific timetable that will be communicated to everyone. It is requested that only one parent, ideally always the same, drops off the child and picks it up again at the childcare location.
  • At-risk individuals or individuals who exhibit symptoms of Covid-19 (fever, cough, difficult breathing, or other symptoms compatible with Covid-19 infection) are requested not to go to the childcare facility.
  • Each parent is requested to carefully observe the physical distancing measures and to wear a mouth mask (provided by the childcare location if you do not have one yourself). Hydroalcoholic gel will also be made available.
  • Strollers are no longer allowed in the childcare location and may therefore no longer be left there.
  • The reception of sick children will be refused.
  • Special attention will be given to the occurrence of Covid-19 symptoms. When the first symptoms appear, the childcare location will contact the parents to collect their child. The parents will have to contact the doctor and follow his recommendations.

The measures taken require a thorough reorganization of the childcare locations. All children, who until recently have been cared for in our childcare locations, can only be cared for progressively from now on.

Your child's childcare location has already contacted you or will contact you very soon to listen to your needs and plans.

Both your child's childcare location team and the Office of Early Childhood are available to answer all your questions and provide you with more specific instructions specific to your childcare location. Do not hesitate to contact them.

More info:

On 8 June, the cultural activities were allowed to restart without an audience. Since 1 July, the public can again attend performances, including in cinemas, with the necessary health measures.

The libraries are open.

The City of Brussels has decided to retain all operating grants awarded to its cultural structures (its museums, theatres and cultural centres).

Since 18 May 2020, many museums and art centres in Brussels gradually reopened their doors. The following list is regularly updated:

Museum of the City of Brussels

The Museum of the City of Brussels (King's House) reopened its doors on Tuesday 2 June 2020. In compliance with the rules of social distancing and hygiene, the museum welcomes you from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. The reservation of your visit is compulsory, it can be done via the website:

Fashion & Lace Museum

The Fashion & Lace Museum is open. The reservation of your visit is compulsory:

Sewer Museum

Reopening on 30 June 2020, reservation is required at Sewer Museum.

Coudenberg Palace

Reopening since 19 May 2020:

The Community Centres are working on a gradual reopening, taking into account all health and safety measures. You can request information locally or by telephone from your community centre to find out about the new measures and activities that are resumed within each community centre.

A social follow-up of isolated seniors is being ensured via the free number:

  • 0800 35 550

Need help shopping? The Community Centres have activated a shopping shuttle system:

The social offices of the CPAS of the City of Brussels remain open and can be reached via the usual means of communication. An additional free number was also created:

  • 0800 35 237

Social Action Unit COVID

The Social Action Unit COVID (CSAC) assists the inhabitants of Brussels who were materially, financially and psychologically affected by the Covid-19 crisis:

Food packages

The Resto du Coeur in Laeken, which cooperates with the CPAS, is open again. Colis du Coeur remain operational as well. The non-profit organization distributes food packages to anyone who needs them.

There will be no delivery of street artist licences until 30 September 2020 included. The audition of 14 September has been cancelled.

The City has reopened its drinking water fountains to help the homeless.

In order to guarantee continuity in the distribution of meals to the homeless, the City and Interparking have made an effort to continue this distribution by the non-profit organization Operation Thermos. The food distribution now takes place at the entrance of the Albertine parking (Rue des Sols - Stuiversstraat).

For all information about the new measures (taken in the Brussels Capital Region) to limit the spread of Covid-19:

STIB

The measures of the STIB public transport company (metro, tram and bus):

Collection of garbage bags

The measures of the 'Bruxelles-Propreté' Service (collection of garbage bags, Recypark, Proxy-Chimik,...):

Low Emission Zone (LEZ)

The fines within the LEZ (Low Emission Zone) were suspended till 1 July 2020:

Initiatives by citizens and solidarity

The solidair.brussels website contains all the initiatives by citizens (solidarity actions) in Brussels.

Created on 14/03/2020 (modified on 28/09/2020)

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