Background
In response to the Covid-19 crisis, the Luxembourg Government declared the state of emergency by its regulation of March 18th, 2020, and passed several measures in the fight against Covid-19. These measures shall be limited to what is indispensable and strictly necessary and are adequate and proportionate to the aim pursued and in conformity with the Constitution and international treaties.
The state of crisis was extended by the law of March 24th, 2020.
Article 5 of the Regulation of March 18th, 2020 provides for a list of essential activities and services which must be maintained during the state of emergency to safeguard the vital interests of the population and the country. The list includes, among others, public transports services. So, what about shipping and freights services?
Rules applicable from April 1st, 2020
At the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers held on April 1st, 2020, it was decided, inter alia, to amend Article 5 of the Regulation of March 18th, 2020 as mentioned above, A new element is therefore added to the list contained therein, and it relates to the inclusion of transport, transhipment and freight forwarding services.
This decision aims to clarify an important point which was not clear until now relating to the preservation of essential activities, such as the transportation of goods and freights in and out of the country. The Luxembourg Government has therefore acknowledged that such services are vital for the population and the country.
The continuity of the supply chain is a priority for the actors in the logistics sector as much as for the public authorities, which need to put in place measures to help the sector remain operational, especially in times of crisis, as we do today.
At the moment no prioritisation measure is recorded in the transportation of essential and indispensable goods to fight the virus and to ensure continuity of food supply. Therefore, all goods are still freely shippable.
