April 14, 2026
What had been in the works for a while has now become official: Brussels Airport Ombudsman Philippe Touwaide has been fired. Touwaide had come under fire for his lack of neutrality and his personal conduct toward the airport’s top management. The dismissal comes as no surprise. The Federal Public Service Mobility has recommended Touwaide’s dismissal […]
April 14, 2026
According to a recent survey among 5,000 Belgian drivers by the Traffic Safety Institute Vias, more than one in three drivers admit they often drive too fast. Speeding is clearly no marginal behavior in Belgium, it’s mainstream, and seen as relatively socially acceptable. One in four respondents (26%) exceed the speed limit several times a […]
April 10, 2026
In 2024, the police fined about 460 drunk cyclists. Various newspapers reported this in recent days. And even more striking: about 270 times, this also led to the revocation of the driver’s license. In that case, the cyclist not only received a hefty fine but also had to leave his car or motorcycle parked for a […]
April 08, 2026
Anyone driving to France should watch out for a new traffic sign on French highways: some lanes are marked with a raised diamond, indicating that the lane is reserved for cars with at least two occupants – also called ‘carpool lane’. Taxis and electric cars are also allowed to use them. The sign is often located […]
April 07, 2026
Is the Brussels saga surrounding the Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) finally coming to an end? The Brussels government has finally set a schedule for the new LEZ fines system. If the technical obstacles are resolved, the imposition of LEZ fines should begin on June 7. Euro 5 diesel vehicles and Euro 2 gasoline vehicles, which in […]
April 01, 2026
On Tuesday, Colruyt’s online grocery service Collect&Go launched an innovative home delivery service in Leuven using an unmanned electric vehicle. The project began as a pilot earlier. The launch is part of the broader development of sustainable and efficient urban logistics. The vehicle is – for the time being – remotely controlled and monitored via […]
March 30, 2026
Despite criticism from all sides, Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) is pushing through her plans to reorganize the car inspection. The Minister wants to change and simplify the system because, in her eyes, it’s ‘gold-plated’ and asks too much of the common Flemish car owner. The most important changes are the abolition of […]
March 30, 2026
It appears that, as of April 1, you are still safe for the time being from the automatic €350 fine for drivers entering the Brussels Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) in a Euro 5 diesel or Euro 2 gasoline vehicle. Even though your vehicle is officially banned, no fines will be issued for the vehicles in question […]
March 26, 2026
Germany’s Environment Minister Carsten Schneider has unveiled the Climate Protection Program 2026. The government’s joint plan sets out strategic decisions to achieve climate neutrality, including measures to expand electric mobility. Germany is legally committed to achieving greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. Under the Federal Climate Protection Act, emissions must be cut by at least 65% […]
March 24, 2026
As many as 35 of the 40 e-scooters inspected in Belgian stores and online shops do not comply with legal requirements. This is according to recent inspections by the Economic Inspectorate. Half of the e-scooters inspected were sold online; the other half were sold in physical stores. Only three of the scooters sold online complied […]
March 23, 2026
Last Friday, a remote-controlled ship sailed on the Walloon river network for the first time. The Novandi 2, a 110-meter-long cargo vessel, departed from Oupeye on the Albert Canal for its maiden voyage and was waved off by the Walloon Minister of Mobility and Infrastructure, François Desquesnes (Les Engagés). The remote control system, installed by tech […]
March 19, 2026
No ruling has yet been issued in the climate lawsuit filed by Hainaut farmer Hugues Falys against French oil giant TotalEnergies. The Commercial Court of Tournai has postponed the ‘Farmer Case’ until September 9. The court wishes to await the ruling in a Paris court case, which is expected on June 25. TotalEnergies is accused […]
March 18, 2026
On the island of Malta, they are tackling traffic congestion with a remarkable measure: young drivers (aged 18-30) will receive 25,000 euros when they hand in their driver’s license for five years. The Maltese government introduced the measure to reduce the growing number of cars on the road. The new regulation was introduced in January […]
March 17, 2026
Two friends and fellow students, Alessandro Heirman (27) and Lindert Bottelberghe (25), from Ghent have developed software to catch motorists overtaking cyclists in a bicycle zone. “In combination with artificial intelligence (AI), we have developed a software system capable of using cameras, which can even be already installed cameras, to detect cars overtaking a cyclist […]
March 10, 2026
Last February, a staggering 94.4 percent of private car buyers in Denmark opted for a battery-electric vehicle. Denmark is rapidly evolving from a European middle-of-the-pack country into an electrification frontrunner. It is successfully closing in on long-time leader Norway. Denmark is rushing for Norway’s slipstream as the latest country to switch car registrations almost fully […]
March 09, 2026
At the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB, a three-day rail strike has started that will last until Wednesday at 10 p.m. Among other things, the unions are protesting the government’s plans to end permanent appointments on the railways and against government measures affecting the pension rights of railway staff. On the first of three strike […]
March 09, 2026
Against the backdrop of “intensifying global competition, fragile supply chains, and rising protectionism”, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) Light-Duty Vehicle Board met last Thursday to assess the conditions required for Europe to maintain its global automotive leadership. “Europe risks losing its edge, both as an attractive place to invest and as an industrial location, […]
March 05, 2026
EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné has unveiled the long-awaited ‘Industrial Accelerator Act’. With this industrial strategy, the EU Commission aims to boost domestic production, create jobs, and reduce the EU’s dependence on the USA and China. This will impact numerous sectors, including the automotive industry. Officially, the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is presented as a […]
March 04, 2026
Until now, the European CO₂ pool centered on Tesla has been a major conglomerate of automakers, including Ford, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, and Stellantis. However, for 2026, two major manufacturers, Toyota and Stellantis, may withdraw from this pool, two of Tesla’s largest financial contributors to this scheme. At the EU level, manufacturers can join so-called CO₂ […]
March 03, 2026
In Antwerp, the city council has given the green light for expanding the car-free zone in the city center. With the ‘Via Sinjoor’, the new car-free route, the city wants to create a virtually car-free boulevard through the city center. The goal is to create a more attractive and safer city center. The city council […]
March 03, 2026
According to a new study by Transport & Environment (T&E), EV battery cells produced in the EU currently cost about $41-$43 per kilowatt-hour more than those made in China. For a typical 60 kWh family EV, that implies a gross cell cost disadvantage of roughly €2,000-€2,500 per vehicle. Yet the same T&E report delivers a […]
March 02, 2026
Chinese battery giant CATL and premium car manufacturer BMW aim to deepen their existing partnership. In a new letter of intent, the focus is specifically on data exchange: Both parties intend to make progress in cross-border data transfer through pilot projects, with an eye on the upcoming battery passport requirements in the EU. BMW and […]
February 26, 2026
The Flemish government and driving test centers are taking measures to combat exam fraud and abuse, according to the Mediahuis newspapers. From now on, it will be mandatory to register via the Itsme app or another digital key, such as an eID, to make an appointment for a driving exam, and there will be many […]
February 25, 2026
Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) wants to reorganize and simplify the mandatory car inspection in the region. She wants it to be more consumer-friendly and offer higher-quality service. According to the Minister, the current organisational model of the vehicle inspection system in Flanders no longer meets contemporary citizens’ expectations regarding public authorities and […]
February 24, 2026
From July 1, CO2 emissions from vehicles will be taken into account when calculating the kilometer charge for trucks in Flanders. The more environmentally friendly the truck, the lower the rate. This has been announced by Viapass, the body that coordinates the kilometer charge in Belgium. This rate change aligns with European requirements and aims […]
February 20, 2026
The share of employees who prefer the mobility budget over a company car continues to increase. According to HR service provider SD Worx, in the private sector, 7% of employees with a company car currently opt for the mobility budget. In Brussels, 16.2% (13.5% in 2024) of employees with a company car opt for a mobility budget; […]
February 20, 2026
There is a systemic gap at the core of Europe’s plug-in hybrid policy, and it has now been measured at scale. Using real-world fuel consumption data from approximately 980,000 plug-in hybrid passenger cars collected under the EU’s official on-board fuel consumption monitoring (OBFCM) system, the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (Fraunhofer ISI) has […]
February 18, 2026
According to several internal sources, the German specialized magazine Manager Magazin concludes that the Volkswagen Group is working on a new cost-cutting program targeting additional savings of up to €60 billion. Of course, economies at such a scale would involve reducing the workforce beyond the already announced 35,000 and, eventually, closing additional plants, following the […]
February 18, 2026
The European Commission is preparing legislation that would require electric vehicles to be assembled in the EU and source at least 70% of their components locally to qualify for state subsidies. The move could pave the way for a formal ‘Buy European’ industrial policy, recently called for by Volkswagen, Stellantis, and other European car manufacturers. […]
February 16, 2026
Drunk drivers will now be punished in the same way throughout Belgium. Anyone caught driving with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.8% will have their driver’s license suspended for 15 days on the spot. Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) has signed a circular letter to this effect, which takes effect immediately and […]
February 16, 2026
China’s car industry is facing a regulatory reset. After the fire-prone battery standards and the ban on retractable door handles, a new draft for safety rules published by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) signals two remarkable backsteps: no more yoke-style steering wheels and no more screen-dominated dashboards. Could this ripple through […]
February 13, 2026
The European Commission has exempted Volkswagen’s Cupra brand from additional tariffs on its China-built Tavascan. Cupra is the first automaker to secure approval under the EU’s price floor mechanism for Chinese-made battery electric vehicles. In detail, the decision removes a 20.7 percent anti-subsidy duty that had been applied on top of the bloc’s standard 10 […]
February 12, 2026
The company car is becoming the new bull’s eye in left-wing circles. After Groen’s train-for-car proposal, Belgium’s governing socialist party, Vooruit, wants to restrict tax breaks for company cars to vehicles largely produced in Europe. Protection or posturing? Interesting twist: including their batteries. But above all, these parties would rather abolish the system that has […]
February 12, 2026
Failed investments in money-losing electric vehicles and a late-year disruption of aluminum supplies for F-Series pickups drove Ford Motor Co. to an $11.1 billion (€9.3 billion) net loss in the fourth quarter, resulting in the automaker’s worst financial performance since 2008. Fourth-quarter revenue declined 5 % to $45 billion, and adjusted earnings before interest and […]
February 11, 2026
The demolition permit for two cooling towers at the nuclear power plant in Tihange, near Huy in the province of Liège, has been suspended following an appeal. Operator Engie wants to proceed quickly with the dismantling. Still, the federal government and Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet (MR) are reluctant to allow it because they want to […]
February 10, 2026
In an extensive reaction to the EU Commission’s watering down of the 2035 environmental targets for mobility and transport, the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) urgently warns that Europe risks falling even further behind on EVs compared to global competition. “If the EU automotive industry doesn’t transform fast, it will lose its international competition, with […]
February 10, 2026
The frequent use of a new flight path has meant that 450,000 Brussels residents in the municipalities of Koekelberg, Schaerbeek, and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean have been subjected to intensive overflights since the summer. The Mayors concerned had an initial, disappointing meeting on the issue with Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés). However, the latter has since […]
February 09, 2026
Mobility organization Touring has never been a fervent supporter of low-emission zones (LEZ). While in Flanders, for example, a coalition of environmental associations has gone to the Council of State to challenge the freezing of LEZ in Antwerp and Ghent, Touring says that the freezing of LEZ is a good thing in the long run. […]
February 09, 2026
Stellantis is recording extensive charges of approximately €22.2 billion, largely related to its electric vehicle business. According to the new strategy outlined by CEO Antonio Filosa, the company aims to become a ‘beacon of freedom of choice’ by offering more internal-combustion and hybrid vehicles. Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has been working since his appointment in […]
February 06, 2026
Europe’s two largest carmakers, Volkswagen and Stellantis, are no longer asking Brussels for protection against growing Chinese competition. They are pushing for a structural rewrite of how Europe’s environmental rules interact with industrial competitiveness. In a joint opinion piece published in Les Echos and Il Sole 24 Ore, two leading business dailies in France and […]
February 05, 2026
Women in Iran can now officially obtain a scooter or motorcycle license, the Iranian news agency Ilna announced on Wednesday. Until now, women were not prohibited from riding motorcycles. Car licenses have long been allowed for women in Iran, yet motorcycle licenses were a real taboo, remaining an officially male-only ‘privilege.’ They were already riding […]
February 04, 2026
For Europe, robotaxis still mostly exist as pilots, policy papers, and cautious political debate. In the United States and China, they already carry paying passengers at scale. That contrast is what gives Waymo’s decision to raise a fresh 16 billion dollars at a valuation above 120 billion its real significance. The funding round is not […]
February 04, 2026
The mobility budget is becoming increasingly popular. In one year, the number of companies offering their employees a mobility budget has increased by a third. In 2024, 3.4% of all employers offered it; today, 4.5% do, according to new figures from HR service provider Acerta. What is a ‘mobility budget’? Employees who are entitled to a […]
February 04, 2026
From 2027 onward, the Chinese government will prohibit the registration of new cars with fully retractable door handles and electric unlocking systems, while existing models will be subject to a transitional arrangement. The Chinese ban is likely to have global repercussions. A potential ban has been discussed for months; now it has been decided. The […]
February 02, 2026
Despite Bluetooth being standard in almost every modern car, one out of eight Belgian drivers (13%) still make calls with their mobile phones in hand. This is evident from new research published by the Vias Traffic Institute, and based on a survey conducted in eleven European countries among a representative sample of the population. Even more […]
January 30, 2026
Traffic manslaughter is now a criminal offense in Belgium. The Chamber has given the green light for this. Previously, fatal accidents were usually classified as ‘unintentional homicide’. The new legislation, based on a bill drafted by Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), now makes vehicular homicide a separate crime with significantly increased penalties. The call for […]
January 30, 2026
In 2025, Belgium’s FPS Finance collected 646.4 million euros in fines. This represents an increase of 22.4 million euros compared to 2024. Traffic violations account for most of these cases. The increase is due to more efficient collection, as well as rate increases and the explosive growth of cameras along Belgian roads. Most of the money […]
January 30, 2026
Renault brand CEO Fabrice Cambolive, who is also the Group’s Chief Growth Officer, is seeking growth outside Europe, particularly in Brazil, India, Morocco, South Korea, and Turkey. Key projects include the launch of the Boreal compact crossover in Brazil, the Filante midsize SUV in South Korea, and the start of local production of the Duster […]
January 29, 2026
The Dutch government has done far too little to protect the inhabitants of Bonaire, an island in the Caribbean part of the Netherlands, from the consequences of climate change. The cabinet must therefore develop a concrete plan to protect Bonaire’s residents better. Furthermore, the government must establish “clear and binding” targets within eighteen months to reduce […]
January 27, 2026
Irish budget airline Ryanair saw its profits fall by no less than 80% last quarter due to a fine of more than 255 million euros imposed by the Italian competition authority in December. Profit after tax amounted to 30 million euros in the three months to the end of December. A year earlier, profits stood […]
January 27, 2026
Carmakers across Europe have been granted breathing room to meet their CO2 targets. Some of the industry’s biggest names—most notably Volkswagen—were spared from facing hefty fines. The acceleration of EV sales last year, now at almost 20% of registrations, helped buy them some extra time. According to a report by the ICCT (International Council on […]
January 26, 2026
The company car system in Belgium is a unique phenomenon. And although the system is popular with users, it also attracts significant criticism, partly because it costs 4 billion euros a year. Brussels Groen leader and Brussels Minister of Mobility Elke Van den Brandt wants this tax money used to fund train passes costing €12 […]
January 26, 2026
Of all those who had to retake their practical driving test last year (for example, after being revoked for driving under the influence), one in three candidates failed. The pass rate for the theoretical retest was even lower, GOCA Vlaanderen, the sector federation of vehicle inspection and driving licence examination centers, explains. In Belgium, drivers whose licence […]
January 26, 2026
Throughout the week, fewer trains than usual will be running in Belgium due to a new five-day rail strike that began on Sunday evening. The national solidarity action in Brussels against the socio-economic policy of the current Arizona coalition government may also disrupt various bus, tram, and metro lines operated by De Lijn in Flanders, MIVB/STIB […]
January 22, 2026
Over 75 e-mobility leaders convened in Strasbourg on Wednesday, urging the EU Parliament to deliver regulatory certainty by 2035, not further dilution. More than 75 senior industry leaders from the Take Charge Europe campaign met Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Strasbourg with a clear message: strong, clean targets are essential for Europe’s electric […]
January 20, 2026
Last year, Brussels Mobility counted approximately 12% more cyclists on cycle paths in the Brussels Capital Region. The increase is greatest on weekdays, at +13%, which drops to +7% at weekends. Meanwhile, cyclists and e-scooter riders are also anxiously awaiting the ban on bicycles and e-scooters in the Anspachlaan/Boulevard Anspach pedestrian zone, which is awaiting political […]
January 20, 2026
Germany is bringing back purchase incentives for electric vehicles. The country seeks to reboot private demand after a sharp market slowdown, giving its domestic auto sector some breathing room. Germany’s federal government has outlined a new subsidy program that will offer buyers between 1,500 euros and 6,000 euros toward the purchase of electric and certain plug-in […]
January 13, 2026
Fraudulent traffickers in Flanders are systematically stealing time slots for practical driving tests and then reselling them to people who want to pass their exam faster. The fraud was discovered by the consumer radio program WinWin. It remains unclear how the fraudsters operate. However, it involves a form of hacking in which hackers reserve time slots […]
January 12, 2026
The French-speaking liberal MR faction in the Brussels Parliament has proposed a measure to significantly reduce fines for violations of the low-emission zone (LEZ) in the capital. The MR strongly opposes what it calls ‘punitive ecology’. It wants to reduce LEZ fines from €350 to €15. This would immediately remove the big stick for owners […]
January 06, 2026
During the first six months of last year, 5,028,562 traffic violations were recorded by the federal police in Belgium. This is an absolute record, as it is more than 436,000 more than in the same period two years ago. Compared to 2017, this is even double the number. Almost 4.2 million of the traffic violations […]
