Belgium seeks to protect Covid gains as it rejects EU travel advice

Government bans non-essential cross-border movement after reversing one of worst infection rates in Europe

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Belgium's government has been told by the European commission to justify and explain" its decision to go further than EU advice in issuing a ban on all on non-essential travel in and out of the country.

Cross-border movement for tourism and recreation is to be prohibited from Wednesday as the country seeks to sustain the gains it has made in recent months since reversing one of the worst infection rates in Europe.