Touring demands urgent clarity before Brussels restarts LEZ fines

Updated 26 June 2026, 00:00 UTC. BRUSSELS, 4 June 2026 — Mobility organisation Touring asked the Brussels government for an urgent official clarification on Thursday over the return of Low Emission Zone fines, BX1 reported, after several dates circulated for the start of sanctions against vehicles barred since 1 January 2026. According to BX1, the latest information points to fines being sent from 1 July 2026, while 7 June had previously been discussed. BX1 reported that Brussels Finance Minister Dirk De Smedt had said in April that the system would begin on 7 June if technical obstacles were resolved, before later saying on BX1 that 1 July was the earliest realistic date. Touring demande clarification on two points: when drivers actually face a fine, and what procedure Brussels Fiscality will follow before collecting it. BX1 cited Touring as saying drivers need clear official communication before sanctions resume. The official LEZ Brussels website states that diesel Euro 5 and petrol Euro 2 vehicles no longer meet Brussels access criteria since 1 January 2026. The same official page says a warning letter follows the first recorded offence for vehicles affected since that date, and that a 350-euro fine can be sent from three months after the first offence if the vehicle is not brought into compliance through a pass or exemption. The dispute follows a Constitutional Court ruling of 11 September 2025. The court suspended a Brussels ordinance that would have allowed certain vehicles to continue entering the LEZ until 31 December 2026, after environmental and health groups challenged the delay. Brussels’ LEZ covers the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, according to the official LEZ Brussels site, with the Ring and some access roads to park-and-ride facilities outside the zone. BX1 also reported that Les Engagés asked the regional government for clarification before 1 July and estimated that about 30,000 Brussels drivers remained directly affected. The immediate issue is administrative clarity. The broader issue is whether Brussels can enforce an air-quality policy after court intervention, political delays and changes to the sanction model. The official LEZ Brussels site says the fine remains 350 euros and that the government wants that amount to correspond to a future annual pass.