The two-metre social distancing rule is to be halved in Northern Ireland, in what is a major boost for the hospitality industry.
The rule is expected to change to one metre, with restrictions, as lockdown measures are relaxed.
Business owners have been pleading for the change and believe it could save thousands of jobs once pubs, restaurants and hotels reopen.
Cafés, bars and other eateries are due to welcome back customers in Northern Ireland on 3 July if the rate of spread of coronavirus remains low.
The Department of Health has said the infection rate is still below one - which is deemed crucial to allowing further changes to the rules.
No new deaths linked to the virus were recorded in Northern Ireland today, with one new case confirmed.
In the past seven days from 18 June, there have been four deaths reported.
First Minister Arlene Foster said: "A minimum one-metre distance between individuals can be considered acceptable in circumstances where appropriate mitigations are made."
She said the relaxations had been made possible through the efforts of people to drive down the rate of infection.
"Northern Ireland is opening up again, however, there is an onus on all of us not to ease the fight and vigilance against Covid-19."
Stormont Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the relaxations would be met with mixed reactions.
"For people who have been shielding they will be apprehensive about going out.
"There will be people beating the doors down of nail salons and hair dressers."
She added: "We will have to build confidence that people feel safe and go out and about. We will probably have a bit of work to do around building that confidence."
Among the series of relaxations confirmed today are that GAA teams will be able to return to training from 29 June.
Places of worship are permitted to open from 29 June, providing all appropriate mitigation measures are observed.
Caravans and campsites are to reopen from tomorrow as previously announced, and hotels, restaurants, bars, cafés and coffee shops from 3 July.
Close contact services such as nail, hair and beauty salons can reopen from 6 July, while elite athletes can return to indoor training facilities from 29 June.
Contact sports training, grassroots and elite, to commence from 29 June, while competitive sport can begin from 17 July.
Betting shops can reopen from 3 July, and indoor gyms and outdoor playgrounds from 10 July.
