Chronicles of the pandemic - Belgium and the Netherlands

The strange case of the shop on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands. The different measures taken by the two countries to contain the spread of Covid-19 have led to a somewhat unusual, and to say the least original, situation for a shop located on the border between the two states which has lowered the shutters only in the Belgian part. To report the rather singular case is the local press, including the site The Brussels Times.
The municipality in question where the half-open shop is located is Baarle-Nassau. Just look at the map and it turns out that the municipality is located in the province of North Brabant and inside is the Belgian Baarle-Hertog exclave, which in turn surrounds several Dutch territories. A situation therefore not easy to manage if we consider that the Belgian federal government has decided to close all non-essential shops, while the Dutch government has not done so, but has only asked all the commercial operators to take measures to enforce social distances.
In Baarle-Nassau, in fact, borders cross countries, sometimes divide the streets in half, pass through buildings and even even some shops. The translation of all this, writes Vandaag reporter Sander Gillis, is an "absurd situation on the border between the two countries". The part of the shop that overlooks Belgium "only follows Belgian measures", while that "in the Netherlands follows Dutch measures", said Marjon De Hoon, mayor of Baarle-Nassau to the Flemish broadcaster Vrt.
If customers need something from the shop located in the Belgian side "they can't do it at the moment" he added.
The shop has inserted a ribbon inside to indicate the border. "I needed underwear, but it's in the Belgian part of the shop, so I couldn't get it," said a Dutch customer.