Low Emission Zone in Brussels as from 1st January 2018

The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will be applied in Brussels as from 1st January 2018.

LEZ stands for “Low Emission Zone”. The term is used to designate where polluting vehicles are not allowed to drive in a given city, or areas of that city. It is one of the measures taken in numerous European cities to improve air quality and consequently public health.

Several studies by the World Health Organisation, as well as various actions of the European Commission, have highlighted the poor air quality in Brussels and its subsequent impact on public health. Moreover, air pollution increases the risk of strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory disorders, in particular asthma. In Belgium, 12,000 premature deaths have already been attributed to poor air quality. By prohibiting the most polluting vehicles from the Brussels Capital Region, the quality of the air can be improved for everyone. For Brussels inhabitants, visitors and commuters.

This new measure prohibits EURO 1-standard diesel vehicles or vehicles without a EURO standard (pre-Euro standards) to drive in Brussels. The LEZ will be applied all days of the week, 24 hours a day, on the entire territory of the Brussels Capital Region.

With reservation of the approval of the texts by the Brussels’ legislator, a transition period of 9 months is foreseen. This means that only as from October 2018, the non-respect of the access criteria will result in an administrative fine.

How can I find out which EURO standard my vehicle has ?

The EURO standard is a European environmental standard with which the engine of a vehicle must comply. The aim is to limit the emissions of pollutants of vehicles. The higher a vehicle’s EURO standard, the lower its emissions. Depending on the fuel type, the EURO standard of a vehicle determines whether or not it can enter the Low Emission Zone (LEZ).

The EURO standard for every vehicle is indicated on the registration documents. The card also contains information regarding the vehicle category, the fuel type and the vehicle’s first registration date.