The bill will replace an interim law that was set to expire on 24 July. The new legislation allows bar and café patrons to be fined for not observing public safety measures. “In concrete terms, a customer who is standing, a glass in hand, could be penalised,” the chamber said. (Currently, only pub owners can be fined.)

Several existing rules are carried over: the requirement for bar and restaurant customers to have seated places, a maximum of 10 people per table and wearing a mask is mandatory when someone is not seated or when there is less than 2m between people. Closing time for all establishments remains 12midnight.

Under the new law, gatherings of more than 20 people are permitted if there is assigned seating and a minimum distance of 2m between participants. Otherwise, wearing a mask is obligatory. (This rule had merely been a “recommendation” for private gatherings under older legislation.) The assigned seating requirement does not apply to cultural, sporting, school and extracurricular activities, nor to fairs, exhibitions and markets.

The bill also authorises the state to hire more public health staff, clarifies that the 7-day quarantine period is counted from the moment “the person was in contact with an infected person,” and allows certain civil servants to access medical information provided they observe confidentiality rules, according to parliament’s statement.

The law is expected to be signed by Grand Duke Henri on 17 July and take effect on 18 July. The measures will remain in force until 18 September.

The law passed with support from the three government coalition parties, the DP, LSAP and Green party. MPs from the opposition CSV and ADR voted against the measure, while Left and Pirate party MPs abstained.

The rapporteur for bill 7622 was the LSAP MP Mars Di Bartolomeo.