Dear entrepreneurs, dear partners,

In recent weeks, the evolution of the Covid 19 around the world has changed our lives in all its aspects and impacted our working habits and relationships with our partners around the world. 

Following the preventive measures taken by our Governments to stop the Covid-19 epidemic in Belgium, and in order to contribute to the national effort to slow down the spread of the virus, Wallonia Export-Investment Agency (AWEX) had to adapt to the new regulations decided on Thursday March 12th until further notice.

However, the different AWEX departments will be operational for companies and the public, in order to support international trade and to facilitate its companies development.

We will ensure continuity of service while taking into account the health and safety of all our staff in this global health crisis.

Information and services for business

- All AWEX departments remain available by e-mail or telephone. There are hotlines and permanent physical presences in all the Export and Invest locations of the Agency, in Brussels, in Loyers and in most of the Regional Centres, for which we invite you to make an appointment. You will find the complete list here.

- As a general rule, meetings in our premises with external persons are in principle cancelled and, when possible, organised by teleconference (Zoom, Skype...). In case of doubt, we invite you to contact your AWEX point of contact, or if necessary via our general number: 02 421 82 11.

Our international events and activities

- In Belgium, all our events scheduled until April 3rd are cancelled. We will keep you informed as soon as possible about the modalities of a possible postponement. For more information, you can consult our Agenda.

- Abroad, we largely depend on the local organizing authorities (private and/or institutional) regarding the course of the event and the potential participation to it. As a general rule, until April 15th, all international actions are suspended until further notice. Thanks to the presence of its Economic and Commercial Advisers abroad, AWEX remains at your disposal to answer any specific questions that may hinder your international projects.

We keep the concerned Walloon companies concerned directly informed, but you can also consult their status via our Agenda.

Be careful if you plan to travel abroad!

Since 14 March 2020, and until further notice, the Belgian Foreign Affairs Ministry strongly advises against all trips abroad, given the many borders that are closing to the initiatives of various countries (including within the EU) to try to curb the spread of Covid-19.

We advise companies to postpone their prospecting trips to a later date, if possible after April 2020. AWEX's mission of networking and prospecting will continue by teleconference or through various telecom and digital channels, pending face-to-face meetings and free of any health hazards.

Finally and as reaffirmed by the Walloon Government, AWEX is constantly listening to companies and is mobilised by the desire to support the economy. AWEX is working on the introduction of specific measures to help companies get through this difficult period and lighten the burden of their procedures in the context of their prospecting activities.

Here are the latest official recommendations

- The FPS Public Health and Foreign Affairs have set up a website dedicated to the Coronavirus, accessible here: www.info-coronavirus.be/fr.. ;

- You can follow the latest news on the World Health Organization's website at https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/novel-coronavirus, as well as the latest reports that can be downloaded here;

- You can also follow the evolution of the situation in real time on the site of John Hopkins University;

- The press release of the Institute of Tropical Medicine (Antwerp) can be found here: https://www.wanda.be/fr/landen/chine/ ;

- WHO also wishes to remind the gestures and behaviour to adopt in order to avoid as much as possible the risks of contamination in this video (French) ;

- In order to better organize consular assistance, we advise you to register your trip via https://travellersonline.diplomatie.be.

If you have specific questions about your export plans or investment projects, you can of course contact us via our address info@awex.be.