The United States and Belgium announced on Monday (30.09.2020) that they had reached an agreement of "prior authorization" than will allow passengers bound for the United States from Brussels to undergo customs, immigration and agricultural controls before leaving Europe.
El agreement It was signed in Brussels by the US Ambassador to Belgium, Ronald Gidwitz, and the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Philippe Goffin.
Pre-clearance speeds up passenger flow, as it allows immigration and customs formalities to be completed before passengers board their flight to the US. Brussels would be the third European airport to get such a facility, the other two being the Irish airports of Dublin and Shannon.
This will give Brussels an advantage in attracting passengers, as entry into the United States is slow due to complex procedures. Passengers who have completed pre-clearance in Brussels will be treated as domestic passengers when they land in the US.
The concept of such a facility in Brussels was first discussed in 2017. Under the agreement, 30 US customs officers will work from Brussels Airport.
"This bilateral agreement strengthens the security partnership between the United States and Belgium and will help our countries stop bad actors at the earliest possible point in the travel continuum,” said Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The agreement must be ratified by the Belgian Parliament and technical arrangements must be completed with the Brussels Airport Company.
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