Meetings and visits at EBF – coronavirus (COVID-19) update

Meetings and visits at EBF – coronavirus (COVID-19) update
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[THIS PAGE WAS LAST UPDATED ON 8 June 2020]

Meetings

Since throughout Europe there are many differences in the possibilities, restrictions and individual preferences when it comes to travel, we have decided to postpone all physical meetings at EBF until September 1.

After that date, we will be able to host a maximum of 24 physical participants at any meeting on our premises in order to maintain social distancing. Since our meeting centre has recently been outfitted with upgraded equipment for videoconferencing, participation by video will be encouraged and enabled for all meetings organized by EBF.

Visitors

From June 15 onwards, individual visitors are allowed at EBF premises with a maximum of three at the same time under the condition that the visitor has an appointment and the visit has been registered up front with the EBF reception by the EBF staff member who made the appointment. Visitors will be asked to

• Cancel their visit in case of any flu or cold symptoms and/or any contact with an infected individual within the last two weeks prior to the visit
• Wash and sanitize their hands before entering the EBF premises
• Keep a 1.5 m distance at all times from other people at the EBF premises
• Respect all signs and instructions that apply at the EBF premises

Events

We are currently revising both the agenda and the set-up we consider effective for events in the current circumstances. This means we will implement a number of events after September 1 that provide a combination of on-site presence, live-streaming and engagement through technology. We will keep you updated on the events we will organize on the EBF website.

Business Travel by EBF staff members

Since home working is recommended until further notice in Belgium, we have decided to adopt a cautious approach when it comes to business travel by staff members. This means that from September 1 onwards staff members are allowed to travel if they consider it essential for their work and they wish to do so. We will support all individual staff members who decide not to travel for business until further notice.

30 March 2020 – The EBF offices are closed for visitors at this moment. If you need to contact us, please e-mail us at info@ebf.eu or call one of the numbers below:

+32 (0)2 508 37 11/+32(0)474 982 764 / Spaicy Bazile – Receptionist

+32 (0) 496 525 947 / Raymond Frenken – Media Contact

+32 (0)474 982 789 /  Belen Aparicio – Financing Growth & Legal, International & Public Affairs

+32 (0)474 982 785 / Mireille Thiery – Prudential Policy & Supervision &  Tax & Compliance

+32 (0)474 982 768 / Sue Pavis – Cyber Security & Innovation

10 March 2020 – Based on the most recent development of events, and following up on our message of February 26, we would like to inform you that as of today, we will apply a more strict internal protocol to deal with the consequences of the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19). You will find this internal EBF protocol enclosed.

So far, together with all of you we have been able to cover most of our commitments effectively with remote connection mechanisms. Your Policy Advisers will be or have already been informing you about the remote connection procedures for ongoing meetings and committees. We encourage all EBF members and other stakeholders to stay actively engaged in our activities via our video-audio conference systems.

The protocol will be applied as of now until at least April 20, 2020 and we would like to emphasize the following specific consequences:

• All physical meetings and events at EBF premises are either transformed into videomeetings/telephone conferences or postponed/cancelled. To decide on the preferred option, the chair and/or EBF senior management will be consulted. Maintaining face-to-face meetings is not an option.
• All physical meetings or events scheduled after the validity of this protocol will be maintained under further notice, but participants are advised to postpone making travel arrangements or make flexible/refundable travel arrangements at this stage.
• Public events that have been changed include
  • The EBF Workshop ‘Financial & Digital Literacy in the 2020s’, 24 March, will be made available as an online seminar managed by EBF.
  • The EBF Workshop: The Implementation of Basel III, 25 March, Brussels will be postponed and the new date will be communicated within the next days.
  • The European Finals of the European Money Quiz on 29 April, Brussels will take place online. All national finals are left to the judgment of the local organizer and the rules and guidelines that apply in their specific situation.
• All visitors of EBF premises who have been traveling to any of the affected areas* within the last 14 days, who show immediate symptoms of the flu and/or cold, and/or who have reasonable doubt about having been in touch with a person infected with coronavirus (COVID-19) are kindly requested to postpone their visit to EBF by at least 14 days.
• All visitors who show visible signs of immediate symptoms of the flu and/or cold will be asked to leave the EBF premises and may be subject to quarantine measures.
• All professional (business) travel of EBF staff members to any of the affected areas* is banned.
• Professional (business) staff travel to any area other than the affected areas* is left to the judgment of the traveller and his/her direct superior, but EBF staff members can at all times cancel business travel for reasons of cautiousness based on their own judgment and that of their direct superior.

*Affected areas have been defined at this moment (March 10, 2020) as Continental China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Macao, Singapore and South Korea.

26 February 2020 – In order to deal responsibly with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), EBF will do the following:

EBF will, until further notice, maintain all meetings and events scheduled to be held in Brussels and Frankfurt as planned, however encouraging participants to to attend by videoconferencing or telephone if so required or desired.

All persons intending to visit the EBF premises who have travelled into any of the affected areas during the last 14 days and/or who show the immediate symptoms of influenza or cold are kindly requested to cancel their visit and  contact us by videoconferencing or telephone.

For further information please contact Niels-Peter van Doorn via n.vandoorn@ebf.eu

Situation update for the EU/EEA, the UK and Switzerland – European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control