Smoking and vaping banned on terraces from 2027, smoking rooms to disappear
Smoking and vaping on and near terraces will be banned from 1 January 2027, as will the use of public smoking rooms, such as in bars, airports and shisha bars. That decided the federal government on Friday.
The coalition agreement provided for an extension of the smoking ban to terraces, much to the dissatisfaction of the hospitality sector. This measure was given the green light by the council of ministers on Friday. Originally, the ban was to come into force on 1 January 2026, but this has been postponed by a year to give everyone time to organise.
In concrete terms, there will be a ban on smoking and vaping on and in the vicinity of public terraces. The use of public smoking rooms will also be prohibited. This includes smoking rooms in airports or hospitality establishments, but also places that focus on smokers, such as cigar clubs or shisha bars.
"With these measures, we prevent children and adults from involuntarily inhaling harmful cigarette smoke"
“Protecting people's health and creating a healthy environment for everyone is what matters to us," emphasised health minister Frank Vandenbroucke. “With these measures, we prevent children and adults from involuntarily inhaling harmful cigarette smoke and ensure that people are not tempted to light up a cigarette."
Catering establishments are expected to display clear signage and to speak to their customers if they light up a cigarette. They will be liable for insufficient signage, turning a blind eye to smoking, placing items that may encourage smoking, like ashtrays, and so on.
According to the most recent Sciensano Health Survey, 17.6 per cent of the Belgian population currently smokes, 12.8 per cent of whom smoke daily. This is a clear decrease compared to 2018, when the figures were 19.4 and 15.4 per cent respectively. However, e-cigarettes have been gaining ground for years, especially among young people. In 2023-2024, 21.7 per cent of the population said they had tried an e-cigarette at some point.
Illustration © PHOTO HANS LUCAS COLLECTION
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