August 13, 2026
A C919 aircraft from the Chinese state-owned company Comac made its first international flight yesterday between Beijing and Mongolia. The flight marks an important milestone for China: after all, the C919 is set to compete with the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737 MAX, medium-sized aircraft that have dominated the market for decades. Yet this […]
August 12, 2026
In late July, the Carrefour in Kraainem, Belgium, banned EVs from its rooftop parking lots due to weight concerns, i.e., could exceed the load-bearing capacity, and fire hazards. “The measure is not being implemented at every Carrefour store with a rooftop parking lot but is being evaluated on a case-by-case basis,” the company said at […]
August 11, 2026
Punctuality for domestic trains operated by the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB has improved significantly. In July, these trains achieved a punctuality rate of 94.6%. This is the best result since July 2021. Rail network operator Infrabel and NMBS/SNCB have not explained this improved punctuality. Still, the main improvement lies primarily in system robustness – […]
August 11, 2026
Last year, the Belgian air traffic control provider Skeyes handled 1,035,084 flights, an average of about 2,740 per day. With this total of over 1 million, it has returned to 2019 levels – pre-pandemic – for the first time. Compared to 15 years ago, there are 20 times as many reports of safety-related incidents, but […]
August 10, 2026
The Belgian Interfederal Screening Committee, a body tasked with ensuring that major investments by foreign, non-European organizations do not lead to geopolitical surprises, has decided to block the acquisition of the Ostend-based helicopter operator Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen (NHV) by a Chinese investor. These concerns relate to “risks to national security, Belgium’s strategic interests, and possible […]
August 07, 2026
The Belgian railway operator Infrabel deliberately schedules the most extensive construction projects for the summer because there is less commuting to work or school during that time. With fewer commuters, fewer trains are needed, allowing Infrabel to close more tracks simultaneously without bringing the entire network to a standstill. Here is an overview of the construction […]
August 06, 2026
Wayve, a British artificial intelligence start-up, specializing in autonomous driving and a partner of the Uber platform, has been granted Private Hire Vehicle licenses by Transport for London (TfL). This is an important step toward launching autonomous rides on the Uber platform in the British capital. The permits are for several Wayve’s autonomous, all-electric Ford […]
August 06, 2026
Due to a recent ruling by the Council of State, all bike- and e-scooter-sharing operator in Brussels will lose their licenses on September 1. In response, Brussels Mobility announced that it is inviting all operators in the sector to a mid-August meeting. But it now appears that the Brussels government is aiming for a transition […]
August 05, 2026
High fuel prices, an Ebola outbreak in East Africa, and strikes by third parties led Brussels Airlines to have a difficult start to 2026, with an adjusted operating loss of 70 million euros. This represents a 50% decline compared to the same period last year. In response, the airline has scrapped its fleet expansion plans. […]
August 05, 2026
Belgium may be home to Antwerp, one of Europe’s largest refining and diesel-trading hubs, but that does not give Belgian motorists access to cheaper fuel. Diesel produced in Antwerp is traded at international north-western European prices, which are determined by global supply, refinery availability, transport costs, and geopolitical tensions. That global market is now flashing […]
August 04, 2026
The British multinational oil and gas company Shell is selling its European onshore renewable energy operations, such as wind and solar farms, to the French group TotalEnergies. The deal involves a portfolio of 4 gigawatts, of which 500 megawatts are currently operational. Under CEO Wael Sawan, Shell has taken a more critical look at renewable […]
August 03, 2026
On the Chaussée de Malines/Mechelsesteenweg, between the Quatre-Bras/Vierarmen intersection and Avenue des Fougères/Varenslaan in Wezembeek-Oppem, work has begun on the construction of a new bike path. The bike path will connect the Quatre-Bras/Vierarmen intersection on the Ring with the E40. The route runs largely along the Brussels Ring Road between Tervuren and Zaventem. In this […]
August 03, 2026
Brussels was once one of the first European cities where shared e-scooters took off in a big way. At its peak – much to the chagrin of those who envied it –there were more than 20,000 e-scooters available for anyone to grab throughout the city. But now the fun is over, and so is that […]
July 31, 2026
Air France-KLM saw its net profit decline by 71% to 190 million euros in the second quarter. This is due to the sharp rise in kerosene prices caused by the war in the Middle East. On the other hand, the airline group managed to pass on the lion’s share of those higher kerosene costs to […]
July 31, 2026
The rapidly growing Ghent-based energy company EnergyVision is taking over the supply of gas and electricity to households from DATS 24, a subsidiary of Virya Energy, the energy division of the Colruyt retail group. The acquisition covers approximately 33,000 connection points (EANs), corresponding to about 18,000 customers. The exact purchase price has not been disclosed. […]
July 30, 2026
In mid-July, the new Brussels Council of Ministers formally gave the green light to the redevelopment of General Meiser Square in Schaerbeek, popularly known as Misery Square. The original plan was to begin the redevelopment in the spring of 2025, but the current goal is to start construction by the summer of 2027. For a long […]
July 29, 2026
The French railway company SNCF posted a net profit of 1.18 billion euros in the first half of 2026, compared with 950 million euros in the same period last year. Revenue totaled 21.94 billion euros, compared with 21.52 billion a year earlier. CEO Jean Castex described the performance as “satisfactory” in a climate and macroeconomic […]
July 29, 2026
The Jewish organization Nico Gunzburg Foundation has filed a lawsuit against the NMBS/SNCB railway company and the Belgian state in Brussels, according to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. The organization is seeking compensation and an acknowledgment of guilt for the deportations that took place during World War II. Research by historian Nico Wouters shows that […]
July 28, 2026
Electric cars are no longer welcome in the rooftop parking lot of the Carrefour supermarket in Kraainem, a municipality in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The ban is in place because EVs are heavier and therefore have a greater impact on the building, according to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. According to Carrefour, there […]
July 28, 2026
In the second quarter of this year, the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles/Elsene local police caught 46,610 drivers speeding. In total, from April through June, the Brussels police checked the speed of just over 11 million drivers. This means that approximately 0.4% of all drivers checked were found to be speeding. The figures confirm the upward trend in Brussels […]
July 27, 2026
Starting December 14, Eurostar trains from London will also stop in Antwerp. Eurostar trains traveling in the opposite direction – from the mainland to London – will not stop in Antwerp because border and security checks cannot be conducted there. British passport control takes place at Brussels-South. The direct connection is especially convenient for those […]
July 24, 2026
Last week, the Flemish government reached an agreement on subsidies for regional airports – a long-standing “headache” because these airports have been operating at a loss for years despite receiving operating subsidies. Pursuant on this agreement, the Flemish Parliament was provided with documents for debate in the Finance Committee. However, the document also inadvertently included […]
July 23, 2026
Today marks exactly 100 years since the Belgian Parliament passed the law establishing the National Society of Belgian Railways, or NMBS/SNCB. It is therefore time to look back on a century of railway history, but also to look ahead to the next chapters in the history of Belgian railways. For while some 3,800 trains run […]
July 23, 2026
The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair will, after all, withdraw 5 airplanes from Charleroi and cut 2 million seats for the 2026 winter and 2027 summer seasons in Belgium due to the federal government’s increase in the boarding tax. By actually pulling planes out of service now, Ryanair is effectively sending the message that its threats […]
July 22, 2026
Last June, Western Europe was hit by the most widespread heat wave on record, and several countries in Southern Europe are currently still grappling with persistent, intense heat and wildfires. UNECE, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, then called on countries in Europe, North America, and Central Asia to urgently make their transportation infrastructure […]
July 20, 2026
The Belgian national railway company NMBS/SNCB is looking for a new operator for the former Plopsa space at Antwerp Central Station. Plopsa Station has been vacant since January of this year after operator Studio 100 shut it down due to a lack of visitors. NMBS/SNCB is now launching a market consultation for the site, which […]
July 20, 2026
The flight tax for flights longer than 500 km, which the Belgian government had planned to raise from 5€ to 10€ starting in 2027, has ultimately been set at 7€. The inner cabinet decided it. “This change better protects Wallonia’s economic interests while also meeting the federal government’s budgetary targets”, says the office of Walloon […]
July 16, 2026
Brugel, the Brussels energy regulator, has outlined the framework and timeline for a comprehensive reform of distribution network tariffs. Notably, Brussels has opted for a model of its own that differs from those in Flanders and Wallonia. While Flanders bases its billing exclusively on your peak power (kW), regardless of when you consume it, Wallonia […]
July 15, 2026
The Belgian retail group Colruyt is selling a majority stake in its in-house developed autonomous pallet trucks. The buyer of 70% of Colruyt’s research and development activities related to autonomous pallet trucks is KION, a German forklift specialist that was already partially involved in the project. In fact, this is a strategic partnership in which […]
July 14, 2026
The Belgian company John Cockerill Hydrogen has unveiled its first hydrogen electrolyzer designed and manufactured entirely in France. The unveiling took place in Belfort at McPhy’s industrial site, which John Cockerill Hydrogen acquired last year, along with some of its staff and patents. The 30-metric-ton unit enables the production of decarbonized hydrogen from water. Push […]
July 14, 2026
Of the 16 million euros in fines issued in 2025 for fare evasion on the Flemish public transportation company De Lijn, half have already been collected. Due in part to increased inspections, the total amount of fines issued has nearly tenfold since 2020, rising from approximately 1.13 million to more than 16 million euros. Actual […]
July 13, 2026
Starting May 1 of next year, Belgium plans to require a road vignette for all drivers on Belgian highways and regional roads. “Yet another one,” the exasperated drivers must be thinking as they prepare to set off on vacation by car, because the myriad systems for road and environmental vignettes and low-emission zones (LEZ) across […]
July 13, 2026
On Saturday in France, protesters demonstrated against the construction of the Seine-Nord Europe canal, a key component of the Seine-Scheldt Link, a large-scale inland waterway project intended to connect the French river with ports in Belgium and the Netherlands by 2032. Protesters are particularly concerned about the impact on waterways and wetlands, and the loss […]
July 10, 2026
The June heat wave led to a notably higher excess mortality rate in Wallonia and Brussels than in Flanders. Experts point to a combination of factors: geographic conditions, the urban heat island effect, socioeconomic vulnerability, housing quality, and possibly air pollution. Because no matter how you look at it, poverty has long been linked to […]
July 10, 2026
The number of airline passengers is projected to more than double by 2045, following an average annual growth rate of 3.9%, reaching approximately 10 billion per year. This is according to Airbus’s new Global Market Forecast 2026-2045, the European aerospace corporation. Although the aviation industry has set a net-zero goal for 2050, the forecast also […]
July 09, 2026
The number of speed pedelecs registrations in Belgium rose sharply in the first six months of the year, by more than 8,000 units. This is according to figures from the mobility federation Traxio. This sharp increase is mainly attributable to military personnel. Recently, they have also been able to lease a bicycle following an expansion […]
July 09, 2026
The European aerospace corporation Airbus plans to establish a joint venture with aircraft engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines to produce hydrogen-powered engines. These engines are intended to eventually serve as an alternative to fossil-fuel-powered internal combustion engines, thereby reducing CO2 emissions from aviation. Fuel cells Through the joint venture, which is expected to become operational […]
July 08, 2026
The Brussels government is looking for a date for a second car-free Sunday, and the process isn’t going smoothly. Social media, in particular, where Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) is coming under fire, especially from mainly anti-Good Move civic groups, is fanning the flames. The reason for the commotion? The coalition agreement stipulates […]
July 07, 2026
Signage on Flemish highways is getting a facelift. The Roads and Traffic Agency (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV), the road authority responsible for Flemish highways and regional roads, wants signage to be consistent across the entire Flemish highway network, guided by the principle of providing less but more relevant information per sign and improving traffic […]
July 06, 2026
The Walloon transportation company LETEC has canceled two of its three bus routes to Charleroi Airport. Especially the cancellation of the bus service from Fleurus Station raises questions. Both the railway company NMBS/SNCB and the railway infrastructure manager Infrabel invested heavily in the station to turn it into an intermodal hub for travel to the […]
July 06, 2026
The Brussels government is introducing a new fee structure for the use of public charging stations for EV’s. Starting October 1, a 6-euro cents-per-minute rate will apply to vehicles that remain connected to a charging station for more than 6 hours between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. The fee is being introduced to address the […]
July 04, 2026
Brussels Airlines has taken delivery of its 8th Airbus A320neo aircraft. Thanks to its investment in this quieter aircraft model, the Belgian airline has halved its fleet’s noise pollution since 2014. Although Brussels Airlines’ approach to reducing noise pollution is sincere, its legal strategy is moving in the opposite direction. Indeed, it recently vehemently opposed […]
July 03, 2026
Last summer, 1.6 million train tickets to international destinations were purchased from the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB, a 6% increase over the previous year. Current ticket sales also confirm this upward trend. One reason Belgians are increasingly choosing to travel by train is the growing range of destinations available. Currently, you can travel from […]
July 02, 2026
After a months-long dispute, Flemish Minister of Mobility and Ports Annick De Ridder (N-VA) has reached an agreement with the pilots on pension reform. The agreement will still need to be further worked out through the relevant consultative bodies. The ongoing strike action by the pilot services had a massive impact on shipping traffic. At […]
July 01, 2026
On July 1, the Flemish public transportation company De Lijn will implement changes to approximately one-third of its lines in Flanders. The number of changes – mostly involving route cancellations or reduced frequencies – is highest in Limburg, where, for example, the bus route to Hasselt Prison is being discontinued, or the route from Sint-Truiden […]
June 30, 2026
Starting Wednesday, July 1, the grace period in Brussels will officially end, and the tax authorities will begin issuing fines to the latest group of drivers who violate the low-emission zone (LEZ) standards. Specifically, more than 13,000 vehicles – Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 gasoline cars that received a warning earlier this year – […]
June 29, 2026
Belgian Dieter Vranckx (53), who has been building his career at Lufthansa for some time, is now chairman of three airlines within the German group, one of the largest in Europe. In addition to Brussels Airlines, these are Swiss and Austrian Airlines. Vranckx’s appointment is part of a reorganization at Lufthansa, in which decision-making regarding […]
June 26, 2026
Between 2019 and 2024, the number of unique classic cars, or old-timers, driving through Brussels’ Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) more than tripled, from around 4,500 to nearly 14,000 vehicles. This is according to figures from Brussels Environment that Member of Parliament Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) requested. According to the Brussels parliamentarian, this indicates that these cars are […]
June 25, 2026
The new rules the EU plans to introduce for booking tickets for cross-border rail travel still mean that nearly half of the busiest international train journeys are difficult or impossible to book. That’s according to T&E, a lobby group for sustainable mobility, in a new report. T&E also proposes several changes and measures that would […]
June 24, 2026
The ongoing heat wave continues to cause problems for NMBS/SNCB: through Friday, the Belgian public railway company will cancel 100 trains daily. According to NMBS/SNCB, the measure is necessary to ensure the well-being and safety of both passengers and staff. Despite recent modernization efforts, many older trains lack air conditioning and are also more prone […]
June 23, 2026
Australian metal mining company Fortescue is set to charter up to 12 Newcastlemax vessels – giant dry bulk carriers with a deadweight tonnage of 210,000 metric tons – capable of running on ammonia from Bocimar, the pioneer in green propulsion with the Belgian shipping company CMB.TECH. Ammonia is seen as a promising alternative fuel for […]
June 22, 2026
The Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB will cancel some P-trains today and tomorrow due to the heat wave. These are mostly older, non-air-conditioned trains that have been parked in direct sunlight all day. Passengers are advised to plan their trips before departure via the NMBS/SNCB website or app. No airco P-trains operate during peak hours. […]
June 22, 2026
Following a storm of criticism over Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder’s (N-VA) plan to cut more than 200 bus routes for special education starting in September – to stay within the set budget of 139 million euros – the Flemish government has decided that no additional cuts will be imposed on De Lijn after all. […]
June 19, 2026
The Brussels government has green lighted the Station Plan. This master plan aims to improve safety at the Brussels North and Brussels South train stations, make them cleaner, and at the same time address the presence of homeless people and drug users. An annual budget of 10 million euros has been allocated for the plan. […]
June 18, 2026
The Antwerp-based construction company Smulders will participate in the construction of a power outlet in the North Sea for the German grid operator 50Hertz, a subsidiary of the Belgian high-voltage group Elia. The offshore power connector, known as ‘North Sea Connector 2,’ will enable up to 2 gigawatts of wind power electricity to be transmitted […]
June 18, 2026
The news that De Lijn plans to cut back on student transportation to special educations schools starting in September has sparked a great deal of criticism and uproar from school principals and parents to ordinary citizens on the street and in parliament. More than 200 bus routes are being eliminated because Flemish Minister of Mobility […]
June 17, 2026
Brussels Minister of Mobility Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) acknowledged as much last year: Floya, the Brussels-Capital Region’s multimodal app, needs to become better known. MIVB/STIB is now addressing the issue itself by announcing that it will discontinue the multimodal mobility app starting in 2027. The app cost 6 million euros to develop, although Van […]
June 17, 2026
Next school year, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn will cut 204 bus routes for student transportation to special education schools, according to several media. De Lijn confirms that routes will be eliminated, but has not yet provided a specific number. The cuts are being made because Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder […]
June 16, 2026
The Brussels Environment Council is calling on the region to adopt “a coherent strategy to reduce the weight of passenger cars gradually.” According to the Council, the weight of new passenger cars has increased by about 50% over the past 20 years. In 2023, more than half of new registrations in Brussels were SUVs, with […]
June 16, 2026
After 16 European countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands, called for uniform European legislation on e-scooters late last year, the Benelux countries are now also urging the European Commission to work toward a harmonized European framework for e-scooters and other light electric vehicles. The three countries point to increasing fragmentation in national regulations, “which leads […]
