Low emission zones in Belgium

Flanders and Brussels

Antwerp was the first city in Belgium with a Low Emission Zone. Since 1 February 2017, the city bans vehicles that emit too many pollutants. In the Brussels region, a LEZ has been in effect since 1 January 2018, with Ghent following this example in 2020. Mechelen and Willebroek also considered the introduction of a LEZ, but this plan was abandoned due to complexity.

From LEZ to LEZ

Plans in Antwerp and Ghent to tighten the rules for their LEZ by 1 January 2025 were postponed until 1 January 2026 by the Flemish government. With these new rules, the focus will shift from carbon to nitrogen emissions (NOx). As a result, diesel cars with Euronorm 5 and petrol cars with Euronorm 2 or lower will no longer be allowed to enter the LEZ. The plan’s delay is a response to the energy crisis and inflation; it gives residents and visitors more time to adapt to the new standards. There will be no delay in Brussels, however, where the date of 1 January 2025 remains.

From 2035, only zero-emission vehicles and vans will be allowed to enter the LEZ. To achieve this, the admission conditions for vehicles running on fossil fuels will be systematically tightened from 2031. The Flemish Government determines the time schedule towards zero emissions, but the decision to introduce or maintain a LEZ lies with the local governments.

Wallonia

In Wallonia , the entire territory will become a LEZ from 1 January 2025. Vehicles with Euronorm 3 will no longer be allowed on the road if they travel more than 3,000 kilometres per year. More specifically, this concerns vehicles that were put into traffic until 1996. The ban is a decision of the Walloon government and applies to the entire region.

In subsequent years, the rules will be adjusted: • January 2025: ban for cars with euronorm 3 or lower • January 2026: ban for euronorm 4 cars • January 2028: ban on diesel cars with euronorm 5 • January 2030: ban on diesel cars with euronorm 6

Furthermore, since 2020, Walloon municipalities can decide themselves whether they want to introduce Low-Emission Zones. So far, no Walloon municipality has introduced a LEZ. LEZ in