In a statement released today, the APCC considers that “the rules that the Government has defined for the reopening of commerce - namely non-food commerce and restaurants - should also apply to all tenants in shopping centres as early as May 18.

Ensuring that shopping centres are “prepared for the full reopening of stores” as early as next Monday, the president of the association maintains that these establishments, “responsible for more than 100,000 jobs in Portugal, can make a fundamental contribution to the recovery of the economy, so it is essential to return to normal operation as soon as possible ”.

“It is important for the Government to take into account that activities that remain prevented from functioning, namely the activities of the non-food sector and catering for the consumption of meals inside shopping centres, are responsible for a significant percentage of stores in shopping centres and therefore, they play a decisive role in the recovery of the economy ”, maintains António Sampaio de Mattos.

Highlighting that these spaces are “permanently supervised by specialised teams to ensure compliance with safety, hygiene, capacity control and social distance rules”, the associative leader considers “that there is a basis for tenants to be allowed to open as early as next week ”.

The APCC recalls that, “even during the state of emergency, the shopping centres remained in operation to guarantee the population the supply of essential goods and services considered essential by the Government and continue to do so also in this first phase of recovery economic activities ”.

In the statement, the association says that, in addition to the regulatory and recommendatory measures, it drew up a guide of good practices for operation in shopping centres, which it delivered to the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) and the Government and made available 'online'.

“This document will be updated whenever necessary and will serve as a 'check-list' for the centre managers, supporting them in framing these measures in their operation plans”, he says, stressing the importance of citizens “having absolute confidence and tranquillity in the use of spaces, with the certainty that all health safety rules resulting from the law, the recommendations of the DGS and the best practices promoted by the shopping centre industry at a global level are complied with ”.

According to the APCC, the shopping centre industry “complies with the highest health safety standards, which, together with fire safety in buildings (Safety), safety of people and property (Security), and food safety of restaurant spaces (HACCP certification), are the pillars of the daily operation of a shopping centre”.

The Decommissioning Plan presented on April 30 by the Government established the resumption of activity, as of May 4, of local commerce, namely stores with open doors to the street up to 200 square metres, hairdressers, manicurists and the like, bookstores and car trade, regardless of area.

From May 18, it will be the turn of stores with doors open to the street up to 400 square metres or parts of stores up to 400 square metres (or larger by decision of the municipality), as well as restaurants, cafes and pastry shops / terraces.

On June 1, it is the turn of stores with an area greater than 400 square metres or located in shopping centres to resume their activity.

In order to mitigate the spread of the covid-19 pandemic, the Government imposed several conditions for the opening of trade and restaurants, namely the mandatory use of masks in stores and their opening only after 10:00 am.

In the hairdressing and similar segment, service is provided "by appointment and specific conditions", while in the case of restaurants the capacity limit is 50%, with "operation until 23:00" and with specific conditions.