The Belgian road tax disc has taken a legislative step forward, though uncertainties remain for cross-border workers. On Thursday 10 September, the Walloon Region announced the adoption, at first reading, of the legislation required for it to come into force on 1 May 2027. The scheme is to be launched simultaneously in Wallonia, Flanders and Brussels.

The digital vignette will apply to cars, estate cars and vans weighing less than 3.5 tonnes, whether they are registered in Belgium or abroad. A single registration will grant access to the relevant road networks in the three regions.

The annual charge is set at €100 for Euro 4 and above vehicles, €125 for Euro 0 to 3 vehicles, and €90 for zero-emission models. Vignettes valid for 24 hours, ten days, one month or two months, will also be available, but their prices have not been specified. Motorbikes, tractors and coaches will be exempt.

What about cross-border travel?

For Luxembourg residents who regularly travel to Belgium, however, the announcement offers no new information. In a parliamentary reply published on 21 August in response to a question from the MP Marc Hansen (DP), the Luxembourg government stated that it had asked Wallonia to look into the creation of a border zone exempt from charges. The Walloon Region makes no mention of this possible exemption.

Luxembourg is particularly concerned about an additional burden on cross-border travel, a decline in business for shops near the border, and a shift in traffic onto local roads. The country had also asked Wallonia to provide it with any economic, social and environmental impact assessment. Thursday’s statement provides no further details on these points.

Checks must be carried out by the relevant regional authority using cameras capable of recognising number plates and mobile teams. Failure to display a vignette on a designated road will result in an administrative fine of €70, which may be doubled or tripled in the event of a repeat offence.