Conditions for organising public events, including at catering establishments, clarified

At its meeting today, 14 July, the Government adopted amendments to the regulatory framework*, clarifying epidemiological safety measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 infection in relation to the holding of public events.

The general regulations on gatherings have been clarified for the period when the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases over 14 days per 100 000 inhabitants is less than 100, until it exceeds 120, stipulating that, without checking Covid-19 certificates, only at private events no more than 20 people may gather indoors and no more than 50 people outdoors. These provisions do not apply to public events. Publicly organised events may be attended, in accordance with the previously established procedure, only with valid certificates confirming vaccination or recovery from Covid-19, or a negative result of a Covid-19 test performed before the event. The event organiser is responsible for checking the certificates.

The regulatory framework has also been supplemented by stipulating that, where a catering service provider organises a public event, the conditions for attending public events apply to visitors. Thus, Covid-19 certificates must also be checked for visitors to an event held at a catering establishment.

Safety requirements depend on the type of event chosen by the organisers. Events attended only by vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 spectators, who present an appropriate digital certificate, take place under less stringent safety conditions: visitors are not required to observe a 2 metre distance or wear face coverings, and there are no restrictions on the number of visitors or the duration of the event. By contrast, at organised events for a mixed audience, attended by visitors who are vaccinated, have recovered from Covid-19, or have taken a Covid-19 test before the event and present an appropriate digital certificate, the permitted number of visitors is 500 people indoors and 1,000 people outdoors. At such events, the previously established safety requirements must be observed: 

• the event must have personalised seating (no more than 2 people who are not from the same household may sit in adjacent seats, and no more than 4 people from the same household);
• a distance of at least two seats must be provided between each pair of adjacent groups of 2 or 4 seats, respectively, and seats in rows must be arranged to ensure a distance of 2 metres from those seated in front and behind. When leaving their seats, visitors must observe a mutual distance of 2 metres;
• the event organiser must collect information about visitors (first name, surname, telephone number, and the specific seat at the event). The event organiser shall retain the information for up to 1 month and provide it to the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control upon request; 
• face coverings are not required at events held outdoors.

Events of this type for a mixed audience may take place during working hours from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. 

The aforementioned conditions are binding on catering service providers where a previously publicly announced event is being held, for example, a performance by musicians or a DJ taking place at a specific time, for which visitors may purchase tickets or reserve a place. They do not apply to the so-called “background” music played at a catering establishment, regardless of whether recordings are played or the music is performed by musicians.

Considering that children aged 7 and older may attend public events without an adult present, the regulatory framework clarifies the conditions for events for a mixed audience, attended by visitors who are vaccinated, have recovered from Covid-19, or have taken a Covid-19 test before the event and present an appropriate digital certificate. Children may also attend such events without accompanying persons. The provision remains in force that children under 12 do not have to take a Covid-19 test or present a certificate before the event, whereas children aged 12 and older must, upon arrival at the event, present a valid certificate confirming vaccination or recovery from Covid-19, or a negative result of a Covid-19 test performed before the event. Until 1 September of this year, tests for children under 18 will be paid for from the state budget.