New laws take effect: No more over-the-counter Sinutab, border checks with France

Starting today, Sinutab, Fucidin and any other medication that contains pseudoephedrine or fusidic acid can no longer be sold over the counter in Belgium. Both ingredients can cause side effects or have long-term effects that are considered dangerous when not managed under a doctor’s care.

Pseudoephedrine is used in Sinutab, Sudafed and other common decongestants. It narrows the blood vessels in the nose but also in other parts of the body, leading to a risk of increased blood pressure and heart rate.

The use of fusidic acid, found in Fucidin and other topical creams, can lead to bacterial resistance. Belgium was the only European country where topical products containing fusidic acid were freely available. Products containing pseudoephedrine and fusidic acid are still available in Belgium with a prescription.

France will be carrying out border controls for traffic going to and from Belgium. It’s not personal: the country is doing the same at its borders with Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. According to French prime minister Michel Barnier, the checks are an attempt to tackle illegal migration and potential terrorist attacks.

Because of the Schengen zone agreement, border checks can only be carried out on a temporary basis: France says this will continue until the end of April. Exactly which routes into France will be subject to checks is unclear.

France is not the only Schengen country currently carrying out border checks: There are checks in place in Austria, Germany and Sweden, among others.

Anyone without internet access for at least an eight-hour period now has the right to a compensation from the internet provider. Don’t get too excited: The providers set the compensation themselves, with the legal minimum being a total of €1.

Should a consumer be without internet for a full 24 hours, the minimum rises to a whopping €2. Consumers can claim €.50 a day after that. (Rarely is internet access interrupted for such a long period of time.) Anything beyond the provider’s control – such as force majeure – does not count.

Providers can choose to offer something slightly more lucrative – such as a free movie – in compensation instead, though consumers do not have to accept this and can demand the monetary compensation instead.

Another new IT regulation is that consumers can now choose their own modem. Until now, internet providers such as Telenet and Proximus installed their own modems for customers.

From today, customers can choose for that option or to buy their own modem, which might comes with faster service or more safety features. A modem that belongs to the customer also makes it easier to switch internet providers.

This regulation does not apply to television decoders, which will continue to be provided by the provider.