February 28, 2025
Consumer association Test Aankoop/Test Achats has filed a complaint with the economic inspection against twelve driving schools because their general terms and conditions are unacceptable. Some of them even violate the law. Test Aankoop/Test Achats recently investigated the general terms and conditions of 13 driving schools and identified various forms of abuse and even violations […]
February 27, 2025
The European Commission proposed a significant action plan on Wednesday to accelerate the decarbonization of European industry. The Commission believes that EU countries must act now. The climate crisis, weak economic growth, declining business competitiveness, and significant geopolitical tensions (with Moscow, Washington, and Beijing) require a comprehensive transition plan. Various supporting measures should help with […]
February 26, 2025
The European Commission proposes banning polluting and harmful heating systems, such as wood-burning stoves, by 2027. Still, the proposal is encountering resistance in countries like Germany and the Czech Republic. A draft law was due to be presented in Brussels on February 12th. The law would impose more stringent limits on harmful particulate emissions from […]
February 25, 2025
Eighty percent of road deaths in Belgium are men, and injury accidents involving men are, on average, twice as severe as accidents involving women. This is mainly because men take more risks in traffic. These are some conclusions from a new statistical analysis by traffic safety institute Vias. Eighty percent of road deaths in Belgium […]
February 25, 2025
According to the latest evaluation report from the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (Vlaams Energie- en KlimaatAgentschap, VEKA), the climate measures of the Flemish coalition agreement are insufficient to achieve the Flemish emission reduction target by 2030. With the new measures, Flanders is heading for a 33.2 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to […]
February 24, 2025
On Friday, February 21st, 2025, the European Commission approved extending the lifespans of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear reactors. The core of the deal is that Engie agrees to keep the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors open for ten years longer in exchange for a maximum invoice for the disposal of nuclear […]
February 24, 2025
Exactly 1,150 Tesla cars smashed the world record ‘Tesla Light Show’ on Sunday evening, February 23rd, 2025. At 7 p.m., the cars put on an impressive show with light and sound in Brustem (Sint-Truiden, Limburg) – the largest synchronized Tesla light show ever. The Droneport runway in Brustem provided the backdrop for the world record attempt. […]
February 21, 2025
Lizy, the Brussels-based second-hand car lease platform, is expanding its activities to the Netherlands. The company aims to make car leasing more accessible, sustainable, and cheaper. And the formula is working. In five years, Lizy has convinced more than 4,000 customers to opt for a young second-hand car instead of a new car. Lizy previously […]
February 21, 2025
Fastned, the European fast-charging company, has completed its most successful bond issue. With over €36.5 million raised in the company’s first tranche of 2025, Fastned raised the most significant amount ever in a single bond issue. More than €20 million of this latest issue resulted from new investments, and over €16 million came from existing […]
February 20, 2025
The Zeeland Bridge will close for eight weeks next year. The part of the bridge that opens to ships, the so-called ‘bascule bridge,’ will be renovated, and the road surface will be renewed simultaneously. The Zeeland Bridge is an impressive structure that spans more than five kilometers. It was officially inaugurated in December 1965 and […]
February 20, 2025
Flanders has distributed 18,543 premiums for electric cars, totaling 72.8 million euros. Most premiums were paid to private individuals—14,637 for new vehicles (under €40,000) and 3,141 for second-hand ones. In addition, 523 premiums went to non-profit organizations and foundations and 242 to car-sharing providers. The previous Flemish Mobility Minister, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), introduced the […]
February 19, 2025
The number of cyclists in Brussels during the morning rush hour – between 8 and 9 a.m. – increased by 4 percent last year compared to 2023. Women represent 40% of Brussels cyclists. The number of cyclists has increased by an average of 12 percent annually since 2010, almost five times as much in 14 […]
February 18, 2025
The International Energy Agency expects global power consumption to rise to almost four percent annually until 2027. The demand for electricity is growing faster than in recent years because industries in many countries need more electricity. The increase is primarily due to the growing use of electricity for industrial production, the rising demand for air […]
February 17, 2025
After fifty years of power production, the Doel 1 nuclear reactor was shut down on Friday evening. After Doel 3 in 2022 and Tihange 2 in 2023, the third Belgian nuclear reactor has also been switched off. Doel 2 will follow on November 30th. Operator Engie reported the final shutdown. The reactor had been running longer […]
February 14, 2025
The sustainability of the European electricity market is going well. Last year, solar panels supplied more power than coal-fired power stations in the European Union for the first time, and gas declined for the fifth year in a row. Solar power grew strongly, by 21.7 percent to 304 TWh. On the other hand, the share of […]
February 13, 2025
The mobility budget has become more popular over the last few years. Designed as an alternative to a company car, it can be spent on public transport, shared cars, bicycles, or possibly a small, environmentally friendly company car. Although only a minority of employers (3.2%) offer it, one in 20 employees exchanged their company car […]
February 12, 2025
Last year, travelers offset their air travel emissions by purchasing approximately 28,000 tons of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) through the Brussels-based climate consultancy agency Greentripper. The organization uses ‘CO2 equivalent’ because this takes into account all greenhouse gases, not just CO2. According to Greentripper’s data, last year’s result is a status quo compared to 2023. The precise […]
February 11, 2025
Nowhere is train traffic less punctual than in Genk (Flanders) and Rixensart (Wallonia). In 2024, NMBS/SNCB scored an overall punctuality score of 90%. That is, nine out of ten trains arrived at their destination “with less than six minutes delay”. However, Genk’s punctuality rate is only 75.7%. One in four trains arrives in Genk with […]
February 11, 2025
During the last Bob campaign—between November 29th, 2024, and February 3rd, 2025—only 1.22% of drivers took a positive breath test, the lowest figure in the past thirty years. Last year, it was 1.57%; ten years ago, it was still 2.8%. During the nine weeks, more than 600,000 people (605,759) were checked—200,000 more than in 2024. […]
February 10, 2025
Most Dutch citizens want stricter penalties for driving under the influence. According to an Ipsos I&O survey commissioned by the Victim Support Fund (Fonds Slachtofferhulp), among almost 2,200 people aged 16 and older, three-quarters of Dutch people want a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol in traffic. In addition, 84 percent want the alcolock to return for repeat […]
February 07, 2025
It has been proven again: Limburg is the cycling paradise par excellence. In 2024, more than four million cyclists – 4,059,224 to be precise – were counted on the bicycle highways—a slight increase compared to the year before despite an extremely wet summer. An average of almost 11,300 cyclists passed the counters every day. Limburg […]
February 05, 2025
To improve safety on Belgian roads, the new De Wever I government plans to introduce a driver’s license system with points–without describing it in those words. Anyone who accumulates violations in the future will no longer slip through the net but will automatically be summoned to the police court. For example, the coalition agreement states that […]
February 05, 2025
In January 2025, 63,008 second-hand cars were registered, 1,100 units more than in January 2024 and 5,873 units more than in January 2023. According to Filip Rylant, spokesperson for mobility federation Traxio, this indicates a continued growth trend thanks to a gradual price decline and abundant supply. The total figure for January 2023 was 57,135 […]
February 04, 2025
From March 3rd, a lane on the Paris ‘périphérique’ will be reserved for carpool cars, security services, and public transport. Only cars with at least two occupants, public transport vehicles (buses and taxis), emergency services, and persons with reduced mobility are allowed to drive in the left lane of the Paris Ring Road. The rule […]
February 04, 2025
The new federal government plans to expand the permitted use of smart cameras to facilitate police work. According to business newspaper De Tijd, the intention is to use more AI cameras to track down suspects and, for example, detect mobile phone use behind the wheel. The network of license plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will be […]
February 03, 2025
Belgian dredging and maritime construction companies Deme and Jan De Nul have won contracts for two new offshore wind farms – Nordlicht 1 and 2 – in the German North Sea. When operational, they will provide power to approximately 1.7 million German households. The two wind farms will be located in a zone 85 kilometers […]
January 31, 2025
The city of Brussels wants to strengthen its nighttime transport offering by making the shared nighttime cab service Collecto more visible. The city announced this during a press conference on Thursday afternoon to present the partnership between the two. For this occasion, Collecto was given a new look. Collecto is a collective taxi service available […]
January 30, 2025
ALD Automotive/LeasePlan, the market leader in Belgium for full-service leasing, car rental, and fleet management, is the first mobility partner in Belgium to offer a leasing formula for drones. The drones are available in all shapes and sizes, can fly manually or automatically, and can be equipped with cameras, detection systems, or speakers. Multifunctional Drones […]
January 29, 2025
Europe’s longest indoor e-karting circuit will be built on the former General Motors site north of Antwerp. Experience Factory will operate the circuit. It is not yet known when it will open. The circuit will be 1.1 km long and spread over three floors. It will accommodate 80 electric karts. The Italian Tony Kart is […]
January 28, 2025
The very first flight to Congo took off from Belgium on Thursday, February 12th, 100 years ago. Especially for this anniversary, a milestone for Belgian aviation, bpost is issuing a unique stamp. Two truly Belgian companies, bpost and Brussels Airlines, are joining forces for this purpose. The new stamp features a photo montage of the […]
January 28, 2025
The Dutch Road Assistance service Wegenwacht was called 1,355,000 times last year – an average of 37,000 daily interventions or two per minute. Ten years ago, there were ‘only’ 1.1 million. The most common breakdowns were a defective battery, flat tires, and problems with the alternator. However, with the higher number of electric cars on […]
January 27, 2025
Princess Elisabeth Energy Island’s estimated costs in the North Sea doubled to 7.5 billion euros instead of the original 2.2 billion when Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten (Green) launched the plan. This has led to criticism from the business world and raised questions in parliament about the costs and financial consequences for families and […]
January 25, 2025
According to a new Traffic Safety Institute Vias study, the number of electric car accidents has increased significantly in the last few years. Although limited, the number of electric vehicles on the road has also increased considerably. The share of accidents involving an electric car in the total of accidents involving a passenger car is […]
January 23, 2025
The die is cast. The Californian Monarch Tractor, a pioneer in self-driving electric tractors, wants to conquer the European market from Belgium and has founded Monarch Tractor Europe NV, based in Antwerp, Belgium. Monarch Tractor is famous for its ‘smart’ tractors. The brand produces the world’s first fully electric tractor, for which the driver is […]
January 22, 2025
With the stroke of a pen, new US President Donald Trump has withdrawn the US from the Paris climate agreement. In doing so, Trump is responding to the concern among many Americans and Western citizens that the international promise to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius will mainly disrupt current prosperity. “The United […]
January 20, 2025
According to a study by the Met Office, the UK’s national weather and climate service, the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) is now incompatible with IPCC pathways that remain below 1.5°C. Last year saw the fastest annual rise in atmospheric CO₂ concentration in the long-running record of measurements. Satellite measurements showed a huge rise […]
January 17, 2025
Hungarian low-budget airline company Wizz Air, which operates at Charleroi Airport (Belgium), has “successfully” tested sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on more than fifty flights. Wizz Air operated more than fifty flights using a blend of SAF and traditional jet fuel and also surveyed passengers to gauge awareness and attitudes toward low-carbon aviation, including SAF. The […]
January 16, 2025
A new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) reveals that the European Union will probably not successfully reduce traffic noise in European cities in time. The European target is a 30 percent noise reduction by 2030. According to calculations, this figure will fall by 19 percent in the best case and rise by […]
January 15, 2025
According to human resources service provider Acerta’s latest mobility barometer, bicycles are gaining popularity among Belgian commuters. Today, two-wheelers account for 41.2 percent of commutes, compared to 30.5 percent five years ago. About 15 percent of Belgian employees complete their entire commute by bike. This share (17.3 percent) is much higher among Flemish employees than […]
January 15, 2025
On Sunday, February 23rd, the Tesla Owners Clubs of Belgium and the Netherlands will organize a world-record Tesla Light Show attempt on the Droneport runway in Sint-Truiden. All Tesla owners from Europe are welcome. The initiators aim to gather at least 1,000 Tesla cars for a synchronized light show.“The show will be created by the […]
January 14, 2025
Belgian dredging company DEME has won a contract to transport and install foundations and an offshore substation for a wind farm in Taiwan. The contract is worth between 150 and 300 million euros. The works are scheduled for the first quarter of 2026. DEME’s Taiwanese joint venture CDWE will transport and install 33 jacket foundations, […]
January 14, 2025
Belgium’s most significant cable broadband service provider, Telenet, plans to offer a bicycle-sharing point on its property in Mechelen. Blue-bike shared bicycles can usually be found in public places in Mechelen, such as the station areas. Soon, the company will provide this type of shared mobility on-site at its headquarters for every employee and also […]
January 10, 2025
2024 was the hottest year on record, and this has now been officially confirmed. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) confirms that 2024 was the hottest year on record worldwide and the first calendar year in which the average global temperature exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5°C. The hottest day on record was also […]
January 09, 2025
In 2024, the number of company cars fell for the second year. The share of employees with a company car dropped slightly, to 14% or one in seven. The decline occurred in all regions and sectors but was most pronounced among young people (up to 30 years old). Also, the fleet’s greening continued. These are […]
January 09, 2025
Over 2,000 driver’s licenses have been revoked in West Flanders in the past seven months for using mobile phones while driving. “A strict approach remains necessary to implement a change in mentality and make our roads safer,” says Crown prosecutor Filiep Jodts of the West Flanders public prosecutor’s office. That is also why the West […]
January 08, 2025
The new motorcycle market performed well last year. In 2024, the number of new motorcycles continued to increase to 28,330 units, an increase of + 11.7% (2,971 units) compared to 2023 and even +14.8% (3,647) more than in 2022. This makes 2024 the best of the past 15 years. The most popular brand was Honda […]
January 07, 2025
Bosch eBike Systems has presented its latest novelty, the Battery Lock, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Battery Lock is a unique digital system that ensures that the eBike battery can no longer be used if stolen, making it worthless to thieves. Gregor Dasbach, Head of Digital Business at Bosch eBike Systems: […]
January 06, 2025
In 2023, 5,485 motorists, vans, and trucks in Belgium were fined for not respecting sufficient distance from the vehicle in front. Tailgating, however, is a dangerous and antisocial phenomenon. Mobility organization VAB recently surveyed its members about the biggest annoyances they experience in traffic. The top three irritations included people not using turn signals (1), […]
January 03, 2025
According to newspapers L’Echo and De Tijd, last year, for the first time since 2016, less renewable energy was produced than in the previous year. Because nuclear energy was scaled back and gas-fired power stations operated minimally, total power production in Belgium fell to the lowest level in six years. 2024 was also a year […]
January 03, 2025
Last year, used car registrations increased by 5.6% (to 727,650 units) – 38,480 more than last year, 84,981 more than in 2022, and the highest number since 2015. Expectations are that the second-hand car market will remain high in the coming years. The number of new cars fell in 2024, but the decline was only […]
January 03, 2025
By temporarily switching off wind turbines and solar panels, approximately three terawatt hours of green energy was lost last year, three times as much as a year earlier. The Dutch Energy Generation platform (Energieopwek) calculated this in its annual overview for 2024. The lost sustainable power amounts to about 2.5 percent of the country’s total […]
December 31, 2024
From January 1st, drivers in Flanders will lose their driver’s licenses when caught using their cell phones while driving. The measure was already in force in some parts of Flanders – East and West Flanders, Limburg, and the Halle-Vilvoorde region – but it now applies throughout the Flemish part of the country. “Given the many […]
December 30, 2024
Belgium’s air quality in 2024 was comparable to that in 2023. Nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter concentrations decreased slightly, and there were fewer ozone days in 2024. In the long term, air quality has improved significantly. However, achieving the WHO health advice values in all Belgian areas is still far out of reach. According to […]
December 30, 2024
Fewer and fewer Belgian citizens are getting their driver’s licenses. Last year, about 120,000 people got their driver’s license, 9 percent less than in 2000. In Brussels, there is even a decrease of almost 27 percent. The average age at which someone obtains his driver’s license has also increased by several months: from 21 years […]
December 27, 2024
From January 1st, the Western Scheldt Tunnel will be partially toll-free. Motorists and motorcyclists will no longer have to pay to pass through the 6.6-kilometer-long tunnel under the Western Scheldt between Terneuzen in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and Zuid-Beveland. However, vehicles higher than three meters will continue to pay tolls. A standard ticket for small buses and vans […]
December 23, 2024
Mistletoe, jingle bells, good food, and drinks… but unfortunately, for some of us, duty calls. That is the sad fate of Rudy the Robot, JanguarLandRover’s automated colleague who must work hard this Christmas. Rudy was tasked with subjecting vehicle doors to intensive tests in extreme weather conditions. Before a vehicle is approved, Rudy carries out […]
December 20, 2024
Virya Energy, the energy holding company of the Colruyt family and the retail group of the same name, will receive a 25 million euro subsidy from the Walloon government for a green hydrogen project in Engis, Liège. The project is called Vallhyège, referring to “une vallée de l’hydrogène vert” (a valley of green hydrogen) in […]
December 19, 2024
Global use of coal to generate electricity rose to a record high of 8.77 billion tons this year. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, almost one-third was burned in Chinese power plants. Due to the energy transition, electricity use is proliferating in many countries. Electricity is increasingly used for applications such as […]
December 18, 2024
Fietsberaad Vlaanderen, the Flemish knowledge center for cycling policy in Flanders, recently presented five measures for local authorities to improve bicycle traffic safety on their territory. Among the measures are lowering speed in built-up areas from 50 to 30 km/hour, introducing a circulation plan, or creating separate cycle paths. The study’s results are helpful for […]
December 18, 2024
The Flemish energy regulator VREG has approved the new distribution network rates for the Flemish electricity and natural gas invoice. On average, electricity rates will increase by 120 euros (+33%), and for natural gas, by around 15 euros (+6%). A revision of the grid rates will increase electricity costs for an average family by one-third. […]
