Flanders Defers Stricter Vehicle Emission Standards Despite Brussels LEZ Suspension
Flanders is maintaining its intention to postpone theโค implementation of stricter vehicle emission โstandards โin Antwerp and Ghent, even as a recent courtโ ruling casts doubt on โsimilar measures in Brussels.โค The planned tightening of regulations, originally slated for 2026, wouldโ haveโค restricted access for older, more polluting โขvehicles. โ
The move comes amid uncertainty following a Constitutionalโ Court decision regarding the Brussels โคLow Emission Zone (LEZ), which temporarily suspended a planned expansion.While Brussels grapples with its LEZ timeline, Flemish Minister of Environment โคJo Brouns (CD&V) โคhas publiclyโ affirmed her commitment to delaying the 2026 ban.”The hardening will not be applied, I guarantee it,” Brouns stated to Nieuwsblad. Though, environmental groups โคlike Bond Beter Leefmilieuโ argue that the court ruling inโข Brussels โฃeffectively eliminates the possibility of implementing the Flemish LEZ phase.
the planned Flemish regulations aimed to further โคrestrict dieselโค vehicles, building โon existing low-emission zones.The postponement impacts drivers of olderโ diesel vehicles-specifically thoseโฃ not meeting Euro 6 โstandards-who may face restrictions on accessing city centersโ in Antwerp and Ghent.The environmental association Bond Beter Leefmilieu contendsโ that Brouns โ”no longerโฃ has the choice” andโฃ that abandoning the next phase of the Flemish LEZ is inevitable.