Different emission rules for cars in Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia

As of 2 January 2025, low-emission zones will widen their reach in Belgium, reports VRT news. These zones will be introduced in Wallonia as they go one step further to implement LEZ areas. Changes in Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels are also planned.

Since 1 January 2022, the applied Euro standards have been the same in all low-emission zones in Belgium, but these rules will tighten in Brussels in 2025. Antwerp and Ghent have postponed their adaptations until the following year. The LEZ zones in Wallonia will prove to be the strictest in Belgium.

An LEZ is a demarcated area where certain vehicles are forbidden from entering due to the harmful substances they emit. They aim to improve air quality by enforcing these rules seven days a week and 24 hours a day. These regulations are kept in check with smart cameras that scan the number plates of all passing vehicles.

A vehicle that does not meet the conditions of the zone and does not have an approved exception will automatically receive a fine. Fines in Flanders amount to 150 euros on a first violation and go as high as 350 euros for repeat offenders. In Brussels, the penalty is 350 euros the first time.

The move to provide better air quality could cause some agitation over mobility between cities and regions. A driver who would want to travel from Antwerp to Brussels and then on to Wallonia in an older car could face difficulty entering one area but not the other, potentially resulting in fines.

_{© BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}

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