BGM DigestBGM Digest — Week 11 (9-15 March 2026)
REP Ordnance for Single-Use Plastics Adopted: €51.4 Million Funded by Producers
The Brussels Parliament voted on 13 March to adopt the Extended Producer Responsibility (REP) ordinance for single-use plastics, transposing the EU SUP (Single-Use Plastics) directive. The measure establishes annual funding of €51.4 million from producers, with €26.7 million available starting 2026. The split is fixed : 54 % to municipalities, 46 % to the Region. This ordinance paves the way for potential extension to other categories including furniture, textiles, and nappies.
Police Zone Merger: Conflict-of-Interest Motion Taken Under Consideration by Parliament
A motion tabled by DéFI and Ecolo challenging the merger of six Brussels police zones was taken under consideration by Parliament on 13 March. The motion highlights a conflict of interest : the procedure remains imposed (unlike voluntary mergers elsewhere in Belgium) and contradicts negative opinions from Brulocalis and the Council of State. Consultation is suspended for 60 days pending federal legislative resolution. The file remains stalled.
See the Police Merger dossier →
Metro 3: Clay Layer Deeper Than Expected, Total Cost Revised to €4.76 Billion
The hearing of consortium SM Toots before Parliament (12 March) exposed design deficiencies : the Palais du Midi was evacuated too late for soil surveys, the clay layer proves deeper than anticipated (support piles of 24 metres instead of 18), and jet grouting proved inadequate. Total cost rises from €4.60 to €4.76 billion (Court of Audit source). The « build only » contract left no room for design flexibility. The Toots station's structural work is complete; the remodeling of avenue de Stalingrad can begin autumn 2026, but the missing link (Palais du Midi) requires four additional years of civil engineering, with possible start in 2027.
Brussels Wages: €4,200 Median Gross, €600+ Gap with Flanders
The Itinera diagnostic (2006-2022) shows that the median gross wage in Brussels stands at €4,200/month, representing a +29 % increase over 5 years. This gap of more than €600 with Flanders reflects different sectoral structures (services vs. industry). Concurrently, Brussels's employment rate stagnates at approximately 55 % (administrative data) versus 64.9 % by LFS. Women have seen zero employment progress over 16 years (0 %), while men declined by −5.8 %. None of the 19 Brussels municipalities exceeds the EU average. For youth, only 25 % are employed, with others shifting from unemployment to inactivity. Childcare provision remains insufficient : 18 crèches per 100 children.
Brussels Leads in Subjective Happiness Despite Precarity
The 2026 National Happiness Barometer (UGent/Notarissen.be) ranks Brussels first with a score of 6.62/10, ahead of Flanders (6.61) and Wallonia (6.36). This survey of 1,572 respondents contrasts with the declining national score (6.53 versus 6.78 in 2024). The result is counter-intuitive : the region reporting the highest precarity indicators records the highest subjective happiness — a phenomenon researchers attribute to community cohesion factors not directly measured.
Brussels-Ville College Reshuffle: Khalid Zian (Public Works + International Solidarity)
On 11 March, the Brussels-Ville college was reshuffled. Khalid Zian (PS) returns as alderman responsible for Public Works and International Solidarity. Nawal Ben Hamou takes on Culture. This reorganization occurs mid-term and reflects the current majority's urban infrastructure priorities.
SIAMU Funding Nearly Tripled: Federal Grant Increased
On 5 March, the Chamber voted to nearly triple SIAMU's (Integrated Medical Emergency Services) federal grant : from €5.7 to €15.4 million/year. This correction addresses a discrimination identified by the Constitutional Court in 2022, stemming from the 2015 emergency services zone reform. Annual indexation begins in 2027. Brussels's SIAMU benefits directly from this structural adjustment.
This content was automatically translated. The original version is in French. Read the French version.
Source: Brussels Governance Monitor — independent civic monitoring of Brussels governance.