# Belgian legal and mobility regulatory reforms

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/belgian-legal-and-mobility-regulatory-reforms
> Updated: 2026-09-02T18:20:35.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

Belgium has enacted significant legal and regulatory reforms. A major overhaul of the criminal code replaces the 1867 system with a graduated scale of eight penalty levels. Under this new framework, imprisonment is treated as an “ultimum remedium” (last resort), necessitating explicit judicial justification when alternatives like fines or community service are viable. The reforms introduce the crime of ecocide for grave environmental damage and increase penalties for domestic violence and specific traffic-related fatalities, while removing outdated provisions regarding lèse-majesté and the criminalization of sex work.

In the mobility sector, Flanders has modified vehicle roadworthiness testing requirements. Private cars will now undergo inspections every two years rather than annually, following an initial test after four years. This regional change has prompted concerns regarding “inspection tourism,” as the new rules do not apply to Brussels or Wallonia.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-02: Belgium municipalities implement local road and mobility updates

Municipalities in Belgium are implementing various local updates, including completed road and sewage reconstructions in Lede and Erpe-Mere, and a car-free mobility event in Blankenberge.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/belgium-municipalities-implement-local-road-and-mobility-updates

### 2026-08-31: Belgium implements major penal code and vehicle inspection reforms

Belgium has introduced major reforms, including a new penal code that treats prison as a last resort and criminalizes ecocide, alongside new biennial vehicle inspection rules in Flanders.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/belgium-implements-major-overhaul-of-national-penal-code

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Cite as: Belgian legal and mobility regulatory reforms. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/belgian-legal-and-mobility-regulatory-reforms