State of Emergency in Force, Sanctions Announced in "Race against Virus"

On Wednesday evening, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel held a press conference on the current situation of the country.

The Prime Minister began by confirming that the state of emergency has come into force with immediate effect, following His Royal Highness the Grand Duke's approval. The state of emergency will apply from now for a period of ten days, during which time the Chamber of Deputies will approve or block its extension. If approved, the state of emergency may be in extended for up to a maximum of three months.

Stressing that the coronavirus pandemic was both a national and international crisis, Xavier Bettel described the current situation as "a race against the virus", adding that "we can't let the virus win".

In the context of the state of emergency, the Prime Minister reiterated the need to reduce movement to a strict minimum. He specified that staying at home and reducing social contact remained the rule, although there are a few exceptions where movement is necessary, namely travel to and from work (where teleworking is not possible), attending "urgent" medical or bank appointments, grocery shopping (for food and other essentials), picking up or purchasing medication, caring for the elderly or a dependent and in the case of force majeure. He added that when going outdoors was necessary, this should be for short periods only and at a safe distance from other people. Regarding travel for jobs, Xavier Bettel recalled that some economic activity was required for the continued functioning of society.

Luxembourg's Prime Minister went on to confirm that sanctions were foreseen for anyone found not to respect these measures. For instance, individuals not respecting movement restrictions will face fines of up to €145, while bars or restaurants not respecting closures will face fines of up to €4,000. Luxembourg's Minister for Mobility and Public Works, François Bausch, will be providing further details at a press conference on Thursday morning.

In his conclusion, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel thanked health professionals, cross-border and supermarket workers, among others, for their continued efforts and called on the public to show responsibility and solidarity, which includes not stockpiling while grocery shopping. He added that no one was sure how long the crisis will last but that protecting people and saving lives would be put first, whatever the economic cost.

The declaration of the state of emergency is an extraordinary decision which allows the government the possibility of putting in place urgent measures to face the current crisis. In this way, a clear regulatory and legal framework is defined in accordance with the Luxembourg constitution: the scope of action covered by this article is limited to measures which cannot be taken in the appropriate time via the normal legislative procedure.