Name of the environmental zone: Environmental zone Brussels - Belgium
Date of entry into effect of the zone: 01-01-2018
Type of environmental zone: Permanent, 24 hours a day
Not allowed to drive (temporarily): Information currently unavailable
Not allowed to drive (permanently): Country of registration: all except Belgium and the Netherlands
Vehicle class: cars, campers (M1), bus (M2, M3), vans (N1)
Type of fuel: petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG
Euro norm: 0-1 (petrol), 0-3 (diesel)
Fines: 350 €
Area/extension of the environmental zone: The whole Brussels region with all its 19 municipalities, an area of 161km² und 1.175.000 inhabitants, is affected. The environmental zone is bordered on the west and the north by Europastraße E19, on the east by Europastraße E40 and on the south by the municipality Watermaal-Bosvoorde. The restrictions of the LEZ of Brussels do not apply to the Europastraßen E19 and E40. Also excluded are 3 Park&Ride parking areas: Céria Coovi, Stalle (Ukkel), Kraainem (Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe).
Special features: Retrofit allowed: no
Contact of the environmental zone and exceptions: Region Brussels, +32(0)27757575, info@lez.brussels
Exemptions: Information currently unavailable
Brussels
Do I need stickers or registrations?
To enter the low emission zone, each vehicle concerned requires a valid registration. Otherwise a fine of 150 Euro to 350 Euro is to be expected.
How do I recognize the low emission zone?
The beginning and end of the environmental zones are marked with signs. This shows a red circle as a prohibition sign with a vehicle causing emissions. Who exactly is allowed to enter or not is not indicated by the entry sign.
In our Green-Zones App we have a detailed map of each low emission zone. So you can easily recognize the borders and avoid penalties.
Are there other low emission zones in Belgium?
There are 3 low emission zones in Belgium: Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent
In our Green Zones App we have gathered together all the low emission zones in Europe and presented them clearly.
Good to know...
All current driving bans and further information are available in our Green-Zones App.
Norway's low emission zones explained
Norway has two environmental zones. From 2025 onwards, the country does not want to allow any new combustion cars. This may not even be necessary, because no internal combustion cars are expected to be added as early as around 2022, if sales of electric cars continue as they have been.
New diesel driving bans throughout Germany?!
Germany is on the right track. One might think. Because the country has managed to comply with the limit values for particulate matter and nitrogen oxide almost everywhere. But new WHO limits could mean that driving bans for petrol and diesel vehicles and new environmental zones will be introduced in hundreds of cities and regions.
Bad air in Europe
Air pollution has a negative impact on health worldwide. It is estimated that a total of up to 4.2 million people die prematurely due to pollution in cities. In Europe, too, the limit values are exceeded by many countries.
Motorbikes no longer welcome
Motorcyclists have a hard time: more and more cities don't want to let old combustion engines in. Added to this is the noise with which male and female riders make themselves unpopular in many places. A survey among drivers suggests that there will be fewer and fewer motorbikes in the future.
International Car Free Day
Next Wednesday, 22 September, it's that time again, in 46 countries and in over 2000 municipalities: Car Free Day will be celebrated as part of Mobility Week. On this day, people appeal to car drivers to leave their cars behind and get around by bicycle or public transport instead.
Swiss Low Emission Zone explained
Switzerland also has to deal with air pollution. But it does not have to adhere to the EU's specifications. Instead, it has declared a much stricter limit value for particulate matter to be binding. It is not the European 40 µg/m³ that applies in Switzerland, but 30 µg/m³, which must be adhered to. Because this does not always work, there is an environmental zone in Geneva and the surrounding towns of Carouge, Cologny, Lancy and Vernier.
Low emission zones also ensure clean air indoors
Poor air is responsible for nearly 13,000 premature deaths a year in Germany alone. The country has one of the highest nitrogen oxide concentrations in the EU. This affects not only the big cities, but also many medium-sized or small towns. Germany is trying to get a grip on the situation by introducing environmental zones, diesel driving bans and environmental lanes.
Congestion charge for German cities?
It already exists in many European countries: in Norway, Great Britain, Sweden and Italy, the congestion charge is already reducing traffic and increasing revenue in some cities. Transport experts are now calling for the introduction of a toll in German cities as well.
Czech Republic against electric cars
The EU's plan to drastically reduce the share of internal combustion cars in Europe does not please everyone. The Czech Republic's prime minister has now announced that he will vote against the ban on the sale of cars that run on fossil fuels. This could put the EU's timetable in jeopardy, as all 27 states would have to agree to the ban.
Fraud at charging stations?
Charging stations, regardless of whether they charge quickly or take longer, should not charge more electricity than the consumer receives. But this is far too often the case because many charging stations are not calibrated.