The Flemish government wants to collect an additional 50 million euros annually from speed trap fines. This is one of the mobility consequences of the September Declaration, the moment when the Flemish government proposes the 2026 budget.

In addition, the Diependaele government is increasing the CO2 tax for trucks. The kilometer charge is expected to generate an additional 90 million euros in revenue next year. From 2027, this figure could even rise to 180 million euros. The sector has reacted with dissatisfaction.

Own penalty platform

According to the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Flanders will begin managing its own speed cameras and average speed checks through its own penalty platform starting next year. Currently, this is done through a collaboration between the federal police and the FPS Justice’s fine platform.

However, because this is proving problematic, Flanders is losing a lot of “revenue” and will therefore take control of the processing of traffic violations detected by speed cameras or average speed checks.

By processing and tracking the fines themselves, the Flemish government expects to generate an additional 50 million euros annually. According to Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele (N-VA), part of this extra revenue will “go directly to the Road Safety Fund to further improve road safety of Flemish roads.”

Tensions at the federal level?

However, the measure may lead to criticism and tensions at the federal level. Not all speed cameras are under Flemish control; some are federal infrastructure. After all, the federal police are responsible for traffic enforcement on highways and regional roads, while the local police focus on municipal roads.

In addition, the federal police, which manages the ANPR system that is essential for the operation of speed cameras, is busy installing additional server capacity.

This will result in a modernized national platform ‘ANPR@GPI’, which will bring together images from all connected cameras, old and new. It will be possible to connect 5,000 cameras, regardless of their brand or model. If necessary, there is an option to expand to 10,000. The Minister of the Interior recently described it as a “crucial project” for local police zones.

According to the newspaper, which quotes the FPS Justice, the money from traffic violations recorded in Flanders, except for fines on highways, flows “in full” to Flanders; last year, that amounted to €54 million. And a significant portion of the penalties on highways also flows back to the regions via the Road Safety Fund.

Higher km charge for trucks

Another measure announced in the budget agreement is an increase in the kilometer charge for trucks. According to the transport federation Febetra, almost all vehicles will be subject to the new charge, although the details are not yet known. Consumers will be the ones who suffer most, as the increase in the kilometer charge will ultimately be passed on to them.

In 2024, the tax, which owners of particular trucks must pay for using highways and other roads in Belgium, generated around 650 million euros. In 2026, this figure is expected to increase by 90 million euros, and for 2027, the government is even counting on 180 million euros in additional revenue.

“We also suspect that virtually all trucks will be affected by the increase, and not just the most polluted ones, as I currently suggested,” says Isabelle De Maegt, spokesperson of Febetra.

Consumers will pay for it

Transport & Logistics Belgium (TLB), which unites the professional organizations of the transport sector, TLV, UPTR, and Febetra, also argues that higher mileage charges will be passed on to consumers.

Moreover, they call the measure “yet another slap in the face for Flemish transporters,” partly because the discount on the kilometer charge for zero-emission vehicles will be further reduced from next year.

TLB also points out that the rate of the kilometer charge has risen by almost 60% since its introduction in 2016, even for the least polluting trucks.

However, according to the organization, this has not led to investments in infrastructure or measures for the sector, despite the government’s expectation that the Flemish transport sector—a typical SME sector—would have already taken significant steps toward zero-emission vehicles.

The transport sector continues to advocate for a general mileage charge, as many experts also do, which would also apply to passenger cars. Still, many political parties are reluctant to tackle this issue.