Brussels Governance MonitorChangelog
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| Date | Type | Section | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Added | Dossiers | New cross-cutting BIFFF dossier — where Brussels culture lodges. Textbook case of the institutional lasagne: 4 levels of government, 5 successive venues (Passage 44, Tour & Taxis, Bozar, Brussels Expo Heysel), one confirmed FWB line (€120,000/year), zero Dutch-speaking funding, direct exposure to visit.brussels cuts (−64 % by 2029). 44th edition from 3 to 18 April 2026 in slimmed-down format. New `cultural` dossierType. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Education dossier enriched with official figures from the 9 April demonstration: 10,000-15,000 people (10,000 police / 15,000 unions), doubling of mobilisation vs December 2025. Mars Attacks procession, stops at MR headquarters and place Surlet de Chokier. | |
| Updated | Domains | 870 appeals to the Brussels labour auditor against unemployment exclusions (Sept. 2025-March 2026). Volume tripled vs historical. 3,650 appeals across 4 francophone auditorates. No staff reinforcement. Incompatible IT systems. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New transversal dossier 'Compulsory education in Brussels': impact of the FWB savings plan (€86.7M 2026, 9 April strike, Mars Attacks collective) and Flemish cuts on OKAN coaches (−2/3, 394 Brussels students impacted). The Region has no direct competence but bears the consequences. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New transversal dossier 'Early childhood in Brussels': coverage gap from 16% (Anderlecht) to 67% (Etterbeek), 11,200 missing places in FWB, triple institutional lasagna (ONE, Opgroeien, Iriscare). FWB cuts −€74M partially offset by ONE emergency fund €43M. | |
| Updated | Domains | City of Brussels designated 'European Capital of Democracy 2027' (vote by 5,500+ EU citizens, announced 7 April). Candidacy under the slogan 'Brussels must be DemoCrazy'. Predecessors: Barcelona, Vienna, Cascais. | |
| Updated | Domains | Employment card: update with Actiris March 2026 figures (96,113 jobseekers, 15.0% rate, −1,746 vs Feb.) and Statbel annual 2025 LFS (ILO 12.7%, employment 63.9%). Strong yearly increase for under-25s (+9.1%). Actiris statistical break to monitor. | |
| Updated | Domains | Iriscare launches call for 130 convalescence places in BCR (1 April 2026). INAMI + Iriscare co-financing, EUR 250,000 budget. | |
| Updated | Domains | LEZ agreement (4 April): fines from 7 June. Annual pass EUR 350, social EUR 200, monthly EUR 80. Exemption taskforce before 15 June. | |
| Updated | Domains | 1st government crisis (D+50, 2-4 April): LEZ divides PS-Groen-Anders. BRAL/IEB subsidies refused. Resolved 4 April. | |
| Updated | Domains | Heysel congress centre: Region approves EUR 150M (3 April). Total cost EUR 400M. Capacity 20,000 seats. | |
| Updated | Domains | Lake Side (Tour & Taxis): permit issued 2 April. 670 apartments + 166 social, 127m tower, EUR 555M over 8 years. | |
| Updated | Domains | Brussels-North zone: crime −12% in 2025. Drug offences +53% (1,333 reports). Arrests +11%, prosecution +147%. | |
| Updated | Domains | We Are Nature circular (3 April): projects >0.5 ha continue with climate/GHG info. No effective moratorium. | |
| Updated | Domains | ING grants EUR 500M credit line (2 years renewable). Total short-term treasury: EUR 800M (ING + Deutsche Bank + Belfius). | |
| Updated | Domains | 45 additional soldiers in stations and metro from 3 April. Total ~245 on streets. Legal grey area: Defence codex not voted. Fraud investigation ex-director police academy. | |
| Updated | Domains | Airbnb: 90% of 2,788 properties illegal (BRUZZ). 515 recovered (Maes). Foyer Anderlechtois audit: governance gaps, illegal derogation committee. | |
| Updated | Domains | 3rd wave unemployment reform (1 April): 11,215 Brussels residents excluded, 41.5% to CPAS. Cumulative Jan-Apr: ~33,085 exclusions. | |
| Updated | Domains | Cristina Amboldi resigns as Actiris CEO (28 March). Transition underway: management committee, DG/DDG recruitment to launch. EUR 40M austerity contested. | |
| Updated | Sectors | BD Comic Strip Festival 2026 cancelled. Visit.Brussels: budget 22M→16.3M EUR, trajectory to 8M by 2029. Iris Festival reduced. 90 jobs at risk. | |
| Updated | Domains | Bois de la Cambre: Urban.brussels violation notice against City for unpermitted concrete blocks. MR Brussels presidency: Weytsman and Coomans de Brachène running, vote 21-24 April. | |
| Updated | Domains | AIS Saint-Josse audit enriched: suspected housing allocation fraud, file referred to prosecutor, Bruxelles Logement civil party. | |
| Updated | Domains | Metro 3 inquiry committee: Philippe Close hearing (24 March). Court of Auditors report: incoherent process, opaque management, uncertain viability. | |
| Updated | Domains | 2026 budget voted in plenary (53 yes / 32 no, 27 March). Definitive end of provisional twelfths. S&P confirms A rating / negative outlook. | |
| Updated | Domains | LEZ bombshell: De Smedt (Anders) suspends fines from April 1, contradicting Persoons (Vooruit) 24h earlier. Van den Brandt (Groen) denounces. Internal crisis day 43. | |
| Updated | Domains | Innoviris freezes all new R&D projects in 2026 (budget -20%). Quadruple austerity shock: Hub.brussels + Visit.brussels + Innoviris + hotel VAT. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | LEZ dossier enriched: fines suspended April 1 (De Smedt, 27 March), Persoons/De Smedt/Van den Brandt fracture, reformed framework January 2027. | |
| Updated | Domains | Deutsche Bank grants €250M credit line to the Region (3 years) — first international bank, confidence signal. Total new lines: €300M (+ Belfius €50M). | |
| Corrected | Domains | Correction: 200 soldiers deployed (not 100). ~600 personnel in rotation. Quintin (MR) + Francken (N-VA) agreement. Missions: Jewish sites, FIPA, railway police. | |
| Updated | Domains | Hub.brussels: cuts confirmed by Minister Hublet (BX1). International budget €10.2M, savings €6M by 2029 (⅔), 33 offices threatened. Visit Brussels: trajectory €22→8M by 2029, ~90 of 160 jobs at risk. | |
| Updated | Domains | LEZ April 1: €350/year fines Euro 5/2 confirmed. Groen blocks BIM exceptions (30% of Brussels residents). PS/Vooruit demanded them. 'Minefield'. Reformed framework targeted for January 2027. | |
| Updated | Domains | 2nd coalition fracture (day 43): LEZ social BIM exceptions. Groen blocks, PS/Vooruit demand. Deeper than Bois de la Cambre (day 37). | |
| Updated | Domains | Waste reform enriched: orange bags biweekly (dense neighborhoods). HR impact: 65 workers reassignable, 250+ vacancies, risk of losing ⅓ routes. Implementation not before 2027. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Overflight dossier enriched: runway 01 (+252% night), wind thresholds (Wathelet instruction only legal), Flemish municipalities (EUR 50K/week), ultrafine particles (7 km), Brussels gov position (insulation fund, 10PM-7AM), alternatives (Liege, CDO), citizen tools. | |
| Updated | Domains | 2026 budget approved in Finance Committee (23 March). Deficit €957M, revenue €6.622B, expenditure €7.613B. Plenary vote Friday 27 March. | |
| Updated | Domains | Brussels Waste reform: yellow bags biweekly, 2nd white bag collection cancelled (10 municipalities), 100 sorting spaces, budget €315M + €28M Midi station. | |
| Updated | Domains | 100 soldiers deployed since 23 March (3 months). CPAS Anderlecht assault (25 March) amid federal unemployment reform. | |
| Updated | Domains | Visit.brussels: budget cut by €5.7M, Iris Festival reduced to 1 day. Hub.brussels: closure of 2/3 foreign offices (unconfirmed). | |
| Updated | Domains | Bois de la Cambre: urbanistic violation notice for concrete blocks without permit (23 March). LEZ: uncertainty persists at D-5, transitional system still informal. | |
| Updated | Domains | 2026 budget approved in committee. MR-Vooruit tensions (Bois de la Cambre, day 37). Groen: new president Aimen Horch. | |
| Updated | Domains | CPAS tensions: federal unemployment reform drives influx to Brussels CPAS. Assault at Anderlecht CPAS (25 March). | |
| Updated | Domains | Government appeals ruling on construction freeze in green zones (20 March). | |
| Updated | Domains | Saint-Josse Social Rental Agency audit: irregularities reported by Secretary of State for Housing (22 March). | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Metro 3 inquiry commission: Brussels-City mayor heard (24 March). Stalingrad trams continue, missing link 2027+. | |
| Added | Timeline | Timeline event: 2026 regional budget approved in Finance Committee (23 March). First full budget after 613 days of crisis. | |
| Updated | Domains | LEZ: legal uncertainty before 1 April, transitional system confirmed in principle but decree not voted. | |
| Corrected | Domains | Military deployment correction: 100-200 soldiers (not a fixed 200). Source: BRUZZ 24 March. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Palais du Midi: partial reopening announced for basketball matches from June 2026. | |
| Updated | Domains | Finance Committee approves 2026 budget (23/03). Deficit 957M EUR relies on 'code 8' (1 Bln EUR excluded). Plenary Friday 27 March. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Philippe Close (mayor of Brussels-City) hearing at special Metro 3 commission (24/03). | |
| Updated | Domains | Bois de la Cambre: urbanistic PV Region vs City (23/03). First MR/Vooruit crack in 7-party government. | |
| Updated | Domains | Military deployment concrete: 200 soldiers from 23 March (Brussels + Antwerp), Jewish site surveillance, railway police support, FIPA operations. Reduced to 90 after 3 months. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: Brussels Overflight — 204,147 flights/year, Route Crucke (96% violations), 5 state convictions, municipalities suing, mediator suspended. | |
| Updated | Domains | Urban planning card: government appeals brownfield freeze. We Are Nature (fines €250K-500K). Palais du Midi at risk. | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional card: MR Brussels presidency election (Weytsman favourite, vote 21-24 April). | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility card: TaxiBus 202,091 trips 2025 (minibus phase-out 2028). AI road scan + €10M maintenance. | |
| Updated | Domains | Social card: emergency package — 325 shelter places secured, Cover team relaunched, RMP healthcare access. | |
| Updated | Domains | Cleanliness card: waste collection reform (yellow bags biweekly, white 1×/week, €315M). Strike day 2: 38% trucks. | |
| Updated | Domains | Economy card: Visit Brussels −€6M, Iris Festival 1 day. RABKO (120+ institutions) warns of cultural threats. | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional card: CD&V in majority without post — STIB commissioner, 4 Actiris board members, VGC/N-VA tensions. | |
| Updated | Domains | Urban planning card: CoBAT reform — single permit, timelines ÷2 (6 months), Urban+Perspective merger, €1.6M savings. | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility card: cyclist safety perception drops (24% vs 39% in 2023), 40% women, e-bikes 50%. | |
| Updated | Domains | Housing card: 32% energy-guzzling homes (F/G), Renolution scrapped, 2033 deadline at risk. Residential attractiveness (Brussels Studies). | |
| Updated | Domains | Security card: North Quarter hotspot measures enriched — night closure, integrity investigations, Station Plan €10M. | |
| Updated | Domains | Cleanliness card: day 1 strike update — 80% staff active, limited disruption. | |
| Updated | Domains | Budget card: Dilliès in Finance committee — 'catastrophic situation', 'gift-giving policy over'. Vote 26-27 March. | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility card: Taxibus PRM (fleet non-renewal end 2027), cycling +15.3% in 2025 (33% accidents), Good Move 2 confirmed. | |
| Updated | Domains | Employment card: Bruxelles Formation 2025 — 15,909 trained (+1.5%), 72% employment outcome. | |
| Updated | Domains | Economy card: Hub.brussels must save €3M/year, Brussels Houses Milan/Barcelona threatened with closure. | |
| Updated | Domains | Urban planning card: classification of Tour & Taxis water tower and electrical substation as heritage. | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional card: police zone merger — distribution key, alarm bell mechanism, 1st reading Interior committee. | |
| Updated | Domains | Cleanliness card: Bruxelles-Propreté strike 18-20 March, collection limited to white/orange/green bags. | |
| Updated | Domains | Climate card: Asian hornet trapping campaign, 4,000 traps distributed to municipalities (16 March-1 May). | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility card: Bois de la Cambre — boulders replaced by concrete blocks (13 March), temporary measure by alderman Maes. | |
| Updated | Domains | Security card: military deployment at Jewish schools and synagogues (Quintin/Francken, 16 March). Post-Liege attack context. | |
| Updated | Domains | Security card: Gare du Nord hotspot task force activated (shop closure 1am-6am, cameras, e-scooters 8 km/h). Explosion on avenue Albert Giraud in Schaerbeek (13 March, pyrotechnic device, no injuries). | |
| Updated | Domains | Economy card: Visit Brussels loses €5.7M in the 2026 budget (regional austerity). Double impact with hotel VAT at 12%. | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional card: Brulocalis enriched (charge breakdown: police ~500M, pensions 775M, unemployment 558M, tax 32M/year). Palais de Justice: total renovation >€600M (facade 2030, interior 2040). | |
| Updated | Domains | Housing card: asbestos and mould in Machtens towers in Molenbeek (~200 social housing units). Demolition planned, no rehousing plan. | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Municipality of Schaerbeek: explosion on avenue Albert Giraud (13 March 2026, pyrotechnic device, no injuries). Investigation ongoing. | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Municipality of Molenbeek: asbestos in Machtens towers (~200 social housing units). Demolition planned, no rehousing plan. | |
| Updated | Domains | Cleanliness card: EPR single-use plastic ordinance passed by Brussels Parliament (13 March). €51.4M/year funded by producers, 54% to municipalities. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Police merger dossier: conflict of interest motion by DéFI/Ecolo taken into consideration by Brussels Parliament (13 March). 60-day consultation, federal procedure suspended. | |
| Updated | Domains | Employment card: median gross salary in Brussels €4,200/month (+29% over 5 years). Gap of €600+ with Flanders (SD Worx, 400,000 payslips). | |
| Updated | Municipalities | City of Brussels: college reshuffle (11 March). Khalid Zian (PS) returns — Public Works + International Solidarity. Ben Hamou takes over Culture. | |
| Updated | Site | Claim Tracker v2: status history with timeline, ministerial attribution, sparklines for 5 evolving indicators. 16 DPR commitments enriched with documented facts since February. | |
| Updated | Domains | Economy card: defence technology cluster announced at Bedex exhibition. finance&invest.brussels opens to defence and dual-use technologies. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Metro 3 dossier + mobility card: SM Toots consortium hearing at Parliament (12 March). Palais du Midi evacuated too late, clay layer deeper than expected (24 m piles). Cost metric corrected from 4.6 to 4.76bn EUR. | |
| Corrected | Domains | Mobility card + transport sector: Metro 3 total cost corrected from 4.6 to 4.76 billion EUR (Court of Audit source). SM Toots hearing added (Palais du Midi). | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional card: Brulocalis denounces €1.718bn in deferred charges on municipalities (2025-2029, 26.7% compensated). Brussels-City college reshuffle (Zian alderman, Ben Hamou takes over Culture). | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility card + Metro 3 dossier: structural works at Toots Thielemans station completed, Stalingrad Avenue redevelopment autumn 2026, missing link 4 years of civil works (start possible 2027). | |
| Updated | Domains | Social card: Sciensano wastewater analysis — Brussels not the crack epicentre (Antwerp-South #1). 27% of addiction treatments in Brussels mention crack. | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Brussels-City municipality: college reshuffle. Khalid Zian (PS) returns as alderman (Public Works), Nawal Ben Hamou takes over Culture. | |
| Corrected | Domains | Correction Social card + digest w10 (×10 languages): the 8,000 unemployment exclusions figure referred to Brussels-City municipality only, not the Region. Corrected to ~42,000 (Actiris estimate, Brussels-Capital Region). | |
| Updated | Domains | Employment card: Itinera structural diagnostic (2006-2022). Employment rate ~55% (admin. data, vs 64.9% LFS). Women stagnation (0%), men decline (−5.8%). 0/19 communes above EU average. Youth: 25% employed, unemployment → inactivity. 18 childcare places/100 children. | |
| Updated | Domains | Budget card: parliamentary calendar detailed — Finance committee 16 March (chair Ghyssels PS), sector committees 17-21 March, vote 26-27 March, 1 April deadline (source BRUZZ/Brussels Parliament). | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility card: road safety — 20 killed in 2025 in Brussels (doubled vs 2022-2024, Vias Institute). Contrast with DPR Vision Zero target. E-scooters: 13 national deaths (×3 vs 2024). | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Well-being dossier: added UGent/NN National Happiness Barometer 2026. Brussels leads (6.62/10), ahead of Flanders (6.61) and Wallonia (6.36). 1,572 respondents. National decline (6.53 vs 6.78 in 2024). | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Administration reform dossier: decree approved in first reading on 5 March 2026 (pillar 1 — transversal administration). Minister De Smedt (CD&V): merger perspective.brussels + urban.brussels + citydev, talent.brussels + HR regrouping, single budgetary platform. | |
| Updated | Site | Methodology and editorial charter pages updated: editorial model (8 content types), daily monitoring protocol (300+ sources), translations and multilingual digest section. | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Commune Schaerbeek: Ecolo demands Henry's definitive resignation as titular mayor (6 March 2026). Three-tier structure (hindered titular, acting, designated successor) criticised. | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Commune Molenbeek: Park West permanently maintained (5 March 2026). The former 3-ha railway site, managed by Toestand vzw since 2022, is permanently retained. Future multifunctional urban park with cycling path and footbridge to Beekkant. | |
| Added | Domains | New section: unemployment reform and impact on Brussels CPAS. Cross-referenced data: 185,700 national exclusions, ~8,000 in Brussels, 42% without identifiable income (Vivalis/CBSS), Court of Auditors criticises 1/3-1/3-1/3 assumption, federal compensation underestimated. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Well-being dossier enriched: new section on precarity from unemployment reform (42% without income, link to mental health and isolation). | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Well-being dossier enriched: mental health (Sciensano HIS 2023-2024, 58% psychological well-being in Brussels vs 64.9% in Flanders, 23.9% severe distress) and digital divide (40% vulnerable, Constitutional Court ruling Sept. 2025). | |
| Updated | Domains | VGC: majority agreement "Brussel, dat is zoveel meer" approved on 6 March (6 pillars: childcare, education, culture, youth, sport, welfare). Dalle elected VGC Council chair. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: Well-being and quality of life in Brussels. Life satisfaction 7.5/10 (IBSA), poverty 25-33% (EU-SILC), life expectancy 82.15 years, 25 m²/inh. green space, Mercer 40th globally. | |
| Updated | Domains | Unemployment February 2026: 97,859 jobseekers (15.3%), 20,792 CPAS registrants (+17.5% year-on-year). Actiris anticipates a 'major statistical break' from July 2026. | |
| Updated | Domains | Rents 2025 (Federia/RTBF): +3.7% year-on-year. House >EUR 2,000/month. All 19 communes above EUR 1,000, Jette cheapest (EUR 1,036). | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Auderghem, first Brussels commune to launch the 'Safe Places' project: 10 shops, 3 institutions and STIB Hankar station identified as refuges against street harassment. Staff trained by PsyBru. Launch 8 March 2026. | |
| Updated | Domains | 2026 budget approved on 5 March in council of ministers. Deficit reduced to EUR 957M (from ~1.2B in 2025). End of provisional twelfths. Filed to Parliament 6 March, vote 26-27 March. | |
| Updated | Domains | Council of ministers 5 March: administration reform decree (1st reading, cross-cutting super-administration under De Smedt). Federal SIAMU dotation tripled from 5.7 to 15.4M€ (voted Chamber, Const. Court 2022 ruling). | |
| Updated | Dossiers | ACS dossier enriched: 6 new sources (BX1, RTBF, FGTB, CSC, BCR decree). ACS insertion elimination (550 positions, Dec. 2023). Compensation subsidy for communes (EUR 43.8M, 2024). National demonstration 12 March 2026 (joint union front, SNCB/STIB strike notice). | |
| Updated | Domains | Security card enriched: Regional Security Council (CORES) convened 4 March 2026 following strikes on Iran. 19 mayors, 6 police zone chiefs, OCAM. Threat level 3/4, police reinforcements deployed. First activation under Dilliès government. BX1 + DH sources added. | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility card enriched with 2 sections: (1) Bara slab works — trams 4/10/51/81 cut for 1 year from 27 April 2026 (40-year-old infrastructure, collapse risk, bus replacement plan). (2) Tunnel renovation — EUR 101.3M (50M Beliris + 51.3M Region) for Louise, Belliard tunnels. BX1 sources added. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Vivaqua dossier enriched from IEB opinion (Nov. 2025) on WMP 2028-2033: new section 'Sewerage network and overflows' (10 Mm³/year overflows, 62 Mm³ in WWTP of which ~50% parasitic, 15% Flemish wastewater, 20% of price = general interest, unclear Vivaqua-Hydria relationship). New section 'Social tariff and water vulnerability' (BIM EUR 55+50, Social Fund EUR 2.5M/year, non-take-up, Flemish model, 31% below poverty line, water disconnections). IEB source + stakeholder added. | |
| Updated | Domains | Climate card enriched from IEB opinion (Nov. 2025): new section 'Water management and climate adaptation' — GIEP underfunded (key lever), overflows 10 Mm³/year, quaternary treatment mandatory by 2039 (emerging pollutants), extended polluter-pays (producers cover min. 80% by 31/12/2028, EU Directive). IEB source added. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | PFAS dossier enriched: added Regulation (EU) 2025/1988 (REACH Entry 82, adopted 2 Oct. 2025, in force 23 Oct. 2025) banning PFAS in firefighting foams (≥1 mg/L). Direct link to Sicli case (extinguisher manufacturer). Full timeline: labelling Oct. 2026, portable extinguishers end Oct. 2026/Dec. 2030, general ban Oct. 2030, Seveso/offshore/military derogations Oct. 2035. SIAMU obligations (site management plan from Oct. 2026). Date correction (October 2025, not April). EUR-Lex source added. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New CSR / Economic Transition dossier: Shifting Economy (2030 target: 100% subsidies to exemplary businesses), exemplarity mechanism (+2.5% to +45%), label ecosystem (Ecodynamic 188 sites, B Corp 100+, Good Food, BeCircular), financing (EUR 30M/year BEE + EUR 210M impact funds), European framework in retreat (Omnibus I −80% CSRD, Stop the Clock, CSDDD). 11 verified sources, 7 metrics, 3 alerts. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Security Plan dossier enriched: merger of 6 Brussels police zones into one (6,500 agents, EUR 55M over 5 years, effective 2027). Federal project by Minister Quintin, adopted in 2nd reading (Dec. 2025). Les Engagés contest funding. New BX1 and RTBF sources. Decision level reclassified to mixed (regional + federal). | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Deep review of 17 Brussels communes: 2026 budgets, taxation (PRI increases Saint-Josse +37%, Ganshoren +20%, Koekelberg first in 10 years; Woluwe-Saint-Lambert only decrease), financial supervision (Saint-Josse EUR 30M deficit, Evere 10+ years), Moureaux return in Molenbeek, Audi Forest reconversion (54 ha, urban free zone), PFAS Sicli Uccle, Saint-Gilles prison extended to 2035, Naïades school closing (birth rate -40%), fast-food tax Anderlecht/Auderghem. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | PFAS dossier enriched: EU 'total PFAS' standard (500 ng/L) in force since January 2026, European Commission report (PFAS costs estimated at EUR 440bn by 2050), landmark 3M trial in Antwerp (1,400 residents, EUR 28M), ECHA timeline updated (consultation spring 2026). New 'European and legal context' section. 'Future standard' corrections across 16 files. | |
| Added | Site | New radar signal: Ministers Dilliès, Hublet and Henry visit Audi Forest site (2 March 2026). Olivier Van Steirtegem appointed as special advisor. Target: recreate 2,500 jobs. 'Urban free zone' ordinance from the government accord not yet published. | |
| Updated | Domains | Freshness audit of all 13 domain cards. Budget: conditional language replaced with confidence vote (27 Feb) and budget calendar (6 March). Social: COCOM and homelessness metrics updated post-formation. Climate: status inconsistency fixed, PACE being updated. Mobility: Metro 3 and Good Move metrics aligned with agreement. Digital: KevlinX location corrected (Neder-Over-Heembeek). Education: COCOF DPC commitments added. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Cross-content coherence audit: 16 dossiers × 13 domains × 11 sectors. 11 factual inconsistencies (P0) corrected: SLRB 39K→42K housing units, homeless 7134→9777, NOx −39→−55%, VAT date 2025→2026, moratorium 2024→end 2023, PFAS 1000→1058×, 10M/year→10M, LEZ params, 25→4 structures. P1 enrichments: PFAS across 4 domains, ACS in 3 cards, shared mobility, data centres, citizens' assemblies, LEZ results, safe.brussels, SLRB reform calendar. | |
| Updated | Sectors | Kanal: opening confirmed 28 November 2026, total cost EUR 230M, programming revealed. La Centrale permanently closed 23/02 (6 redundancies). FAME cancelled (City budget −19.6%). Zinneke Parade (30 May 2026): funding still uncertain, zinnodes reduced from 20 to 13. FWB: indexation freeze = EUR 3.8M. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Critical Council of State opinion on lowering LEZ fines: standstill principle violation (health protection regression), fines too low, legal risk for Dilliès government accord. | |
| Updated | Domains | Jubelpark: federal Council of Ministers approves Beliris tender for park renovation (green zones, paths, track, stairs, lighting, PMR). Target: 2030 bicentenary. | |
| Updated | Domains | Vote of confidence of 27 February corrected and documented: 51 in favour (MR, PS, Engagés, Groen, Anders, Vooruit; CD&V external support), 27 against (N-VA, DéFI, PTB, Ecolo, TFA). Equal Opportunities Commission retained (abolition proposal dropped). | |
| Updated | Dossiers | LEZ tolerance confirmed in Parliament (27 Feb): 0 fines issued for diesel Euro 5 / petrol Euro 2 since 1 January 2026. 4,386 warnings sent by Brussels Fiscality. 350 EUR fines from 1 April 2026. | |
| Updated | Domains | Brownfields vote in Parliament (27 Feb): 68 to 4 (2 abstentions), rejection of Ecolo draft ordinance for moratorium on 9 green zones. Majority applies its compromise: 3 sites preserved (Wiels, Avijl, Donderberg) + 18-month moratorium on others. | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Two municipal decisions added: (1) OTVP tax removal for solar panels (voted Dec 2025, first Brussels municipality), (2) terrace plan — terraces banned on Stoofstraat (Jan 2026), comprehensive plan for 900 terraces in preparation. | |
| Updated | Domains | Section 'Municipal initiatives' added: City of Brussels removes OTVP tax for solar panels (first Brussels municipality). Other municipalities have not followed suit. | |
| Updated | Domains | Section 'VGC: college and competences' added to the Institutional card. VGC College composition (Van den Brandt — Groen, De Smedt — Anders, Persoons — Vooruit), Council chair (Dalle — CD&V), Van Achter (N-VA) advisory role. Structural difference documented: unlike COCOF (decretal power), VGC operates through regulations delegated by the Flemish Community. 2 sources added. | |
| Updated | Sectors | Section 'Dutch-language cultural policy (VGC)' added to the Culture card. 22 community centres (N22 network), 19 libraries, Muntpunt, 18 municipal cultural services, arts subsidies (operational/project/trajectory/debut), Paspartoe (leisure pass). Ans Persoons (Vooruit) responsible. | |
| Updated | Domains | Education card enriched on the VGC side: ~100,000 daily pupils in Dutch-language education, >20% of Brussels children. Atheneum Brussel campus expansion (360→510 places, €450,000). VDAB Brussel training centre in Sint-Joost-ten-Node. BOA transition to VGC in September 2026. 2 sources added. | |
| Updated | Sectors | VGC added as stakeholder on the Nonprofit card. Section 'COCOF confirmed' renamed 'COCOF and VGC confirmed'. VGC college installation documented: unblocking on the Dutch-speaking side (22 community centres, welfare/culture/youth subsidies). | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Competences table in the Seniors dossier enriched for VGC: 19 Lokale Dienstencentra, klusjesdiensten, Sociaal Vervoer Brussel, gezinszorg, Zorgzame buurten. Supported associations: Okra, S-Plus, FedOS. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | PFAS dossier enriched: Sicli figures refined (708× soil, 1,058× groundwater, 31/20 PFAS compounds) + 3 Dutch-language BRUZZ sources added covering the full timeline (bankruptcy, drinking water, exceedances). | |
| Updated | Domains | Housing card updated: Renolution zero-interest loan raises concerns. Embuild fears massive renovation postponement. VUB tax professor warns lower middle class will be excluded. Modalities not yet defined (clarification expected January 2027). EPC label E mandatory by 2033. Source: BRUZZ. | |
| Updated | Domains | Bilingualism Masterplan documented on Institutional card: mandatory hospital language policy plans, admin training funding, municipality/CPAS guidance, Actiris language test. Context: parallel Van Achter totaalplan (Flemish Community). 2 new sources added (VRT NWS, BRUZZ). | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: ACS (Subsidised Contract Workers). ~10,000 subsidised positions (~6,700 active), budget ~250M EUR, the main non-profit employment lever in Brussels. No new positions since 2007. Reform since 2015 (activation vs structural support). Non-profit sector demonstration on 3 February 2026. 7 verified sources, 8 metrics. | |
| Updated | Domains | ACS section added to Employment card: ~10,000 non-profit positions under pressure, 3 February 2026 demonstration, cross-reference to dedicated dossier. 'Institutional lasagne' section added to Institutional card (9 health ministers, 6 governance levels). | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: PFAS in Brussels. 82 contaminated parcels (soil + groundwater), Sicli site in Uccle (up to 1,000× the standard), TFA in drinking water (97% of analyses > future EU standard), evolving regulatory framework. 9 verified sources, 6 metrics. | |
| Updated | Domains | COCOM: provisional twelfths extended until 1 June 2026 (decision 26/02). Regional budget to Parliament 6 March, COCOM budget 20 April. 98% already committed, non-profits in uncertainty. Equal Opportunities Commission: reclassification as advisory committee postponed after PS, MR and Ecolo reactions in Parliament bureau. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: Brussels citizens' assemblies. Parliamentary deliberative commissions (6 completed, 205+ recommendations, 7th on cleanliness validated), permanent climate citizens' assembly (3 cycles), AGORA (inactive), municipal participatory budgets. 12 verified sources, 8 metrics. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: Brussels regional administration reform. Announced 'Big Bang' — restructuring ~25 entities into 4 pillars, extended hiring freeze, perspective + urban.brussels merger confirmed for 2026, target EUR 250-300M savings (2029). 8 metrics, 8 verified sources. | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility card: STIB-MIVB buses will not return to Schumanplein after works. 5 lines permanently rerouted via Maalbeek. Retractable bollard system abandoned. Source: STIB-MIVB (official). | |
| Updated | Sectors | Culture sector card enriched: new bookstores and book trade section — CCI data (70,000 jobs, EUR 13bn), ~30 independent bookstores (1% margin), Filigranes (near-bankruptcy/revival), Club reorganisation, record Book Fair (85,000 visitors), VAT 9% threat. 3 indicators added. | |
| Updated | Domains | Employment card: added dedicated Actiris unit for Urban Free Zones (Port of Brussels + Audi Forest), DPR commitment already documented in economy card. | |
| Updated | Domains | Urban planning card: added Fast-Track single window for Urban Free Zones, RPD commitment already documented in economy card. | |
| Updated | Municipalities | Woluwe-Saint-Pierre commune card: parking management transferred to Parking Brussels from 1 March 2026 (free period 30→15 min, scancar, revenue +30%). 1 source added. | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional card: Cocof DPC presented (23/02), Cocof presidency resolved (Vervoort PS → Kazadi Engagés in Nov. 2027), competences split (Hublet Employment, Dilliès Training), 3 sources added. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: Shared Mobility in Brussels — ~9,200 e-scooters, ~6,500 shared bicycles, Villo! concession (Sept. 2026), Council of State litigation, Uber reclassification, zero-emission taxi transition, Vias accident data. 27 verified sources, 8 metrics. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: Bankruptcies in Brussels — 2,208 bankruptcies in 2025 (+13.2%), affected sectors (construction, hospitality, retail), regional mechanisms (CEd, hub.brussels, PRJ), DPR coverage. 6 official sources, 6 metrics. | |
| Updated | Site | FAQ restructured: 7 questions about the current situation (government formed, BGM missions) + 6 historical questions about the 613-day crisis, moved to past tense. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New cross-cutting dossier: Data centres and AI — impact on the Brussels energy system. 3.2 TWh DC consumption in Belgium (4% of national total), KevlinX BRU01 operational in Neder-Over-Heembeek, BCG projections 7-15.5 TWh by 2035, Elia grid impact, energy consumption per AI query. | |
| Updated | Sectors | Major update: 10 sector cards enriched with February 2026 data. Construction (−1,402 companies), culture (FWB −12.9M), transport (Metro 3 EUR 4.76B), environment (LEZ −55% NOx), housing (SLRB EUR 197M debt), digital (300K vulnerable), nonprofit (5,000+ ASBL), education (10,000 childcare places missing), commerce (13.5% vacancy), health (INAMI EUR 41.3B). | |
| Updated | Domains | Economy: construction context (−1,402 companies, permits at lowest since 2012), first Council of Ministers (19/02), budget priority #1. | |
| Updated | Domains | Security: safe.brussels annual report (2024 data) — crime stable (~157,000/year), drugs +33%, firearms 92 incidents (8 deaths), per capita rate declining. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Police merger: bill presented to Interior Commission (10/02), national reform 176→60 zones, vote expected before summer 2026. | |
| Updated | Sectors | Horeca: hotel VAT 6→12% (1 March) — implementation complications (dual rate, transitional measures). Record 2025 bankruptcies: 2,184 in Brussels, 5,631 horeca jobs lost nationally. | |
| Added | Timeline | New event: presentation of the DPR to Brussels Parliament, Monday 23 February 2026 at 4:30 pm. Vote of confidence expected on 25 February. | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Vivaqua dossier enriched: +12.5% tariff increase from 1 January 2026, BRUGEL denounces mismanagement (EUR 73M unpaid, EUR 35M costs rejected), debt ~EUR 1 billion. | |
| Updated | Domains | Employment: 5th ONEM wave (36,000 letters, 168,063 national exclusions of which 22.1% in Brussels). Court of Audit deems CPAS compensation underestimated (EUR 709.3M by 2029). | |
| Updated | Domains | Cleanliness: 7,731 fines for illegal dumping in 2025 (+61%), of which 36.7% non-residents ('waste tourism'). ~EUR 12M in fines. Underground containers and smart cameras planned. | |
| Added | Site | New tags system: 13 tags (8 public + 5 cross-cutting) displayed on domain pages. Seniors, PRM, Youth, Families, Newcomers, Homeless, Self-employed, Tenants + Gender, Cost of living, Precarity, Bilingualism, Citizen participation. | |
| Added | Site | Domain filter on source registry: 262 sources assigned to 1+ domain(s), filter dropdown on data page. | |
| Added | Domains | New domain: Urban Planning — faster permits, planning amnesty, CRMS binding opinion removed, Neo revival. 4 locales. | |
| Added | Domains | New domain: Digital — digital divide, administrative simplification, smart city, Brussels as AI capital. 4 locales. | |
| Added | Domains | New domain: Education — childcare places, school dropout, Cocof/VGC coordination. 4 locales. Education sector remapped to this domain. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: Accessibility and disability in Brussels — 23,100 allocation beneficiaries, 14,490 European Disability Cards, 55/69 metro stations accessible, 12 sheltered workshops. Data from FPS, Iriscare, STIB, UNIA. DPR coverage and EU framework documented. | |
| Added | Dossiers | New dossier: Seniors in Brussels — 163,000 people aged 65+, 11,592 nursing home residents, 8,596 APA cases. Data from Iriscare, IBSA, ONSS. DPR coverage documented. | |
| Updated | Domains | Housing: Renolution backlog cleared — EUR 56M (50M Urban.Brussels + 6M Leefmilieu), 2,692 applications validated, 600+ pending, payments before end of 2026. Zero-interest loans from 2027 (EUR 66M/year). | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Good Move: Jette issues formal notice to the Region to reopen Avenue Broustin (closed since 2021-2022). 70% of residents opposed, threat of legal action. | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility: Trois Fontaines viaduct — permit filed (60 parking spaces removed, Rouge-Cloître drainage). Auderghem opposes, demands integration into Hermann-Debroux PAD. Public inquiry 2-31 March 2026. | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional: PFB agenda — COCOF DPC on 23/02 at 4:30pm, debate + vote on 25/02. PS / Les Engagés tensions over PFB presidency unresolved. | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional: COCOF confirmed — Ahmed Laaouej (PS) minister-president, DCP validated on 20/02. MR-PS-Engagés majority. | |
| Updated | Domains | Budget: hiring freeze clarified (extension since 2024), 2024 linear savings added (−3 to −10%, €200M), revenue/debt problem documented (IBSA/NBB). | |
| Updated | Domains | Employment: View.Brussels (Brussels Employment and Training Observatory, Actiris) added as official source. | |
| Updated | Domains | Security: safe.brussels (Brussels Security Observatory) added as official source. | |
| Updated | Domains | Social: joint KRC/DGDE alert — 1,678 homeless minors in Brussels (+72% since 2020), 127 shelter refusals/week, 285 winter places at risk on 31 March 2026. New radar signal. | |
| Updated | Domains | Mobility: STP school mobility data (Brussels Mobility, 19/02) — car 35.5% → 32.4% in primary (−3.1 pp), cycling ×1.8 since 2018, 336 schools / 100,000+ students covered. | |
| Added | Site | Radar: 2 new signals (ONEM 5th wave — 168,063 exclusions, 22.1% in Brussels; property tax increase in 9 of 19 municipalities). Strategic participations signal enriched (€3B, Voka controversy). | |
| Updated | Domains | DPR published — 6 domains updated to definitive language (conditional → factual), blockedSince removed, waiting notes removed. Employment: confidence level → official. | |
| Updated | Sectors | Post-crisis tense correction — 11 sector cards (4 languages): crisis period moved to past tense (June 2024 – February 2026), DPR notes removed, humanImpact cleaned. | |
| Updated | Site | i18n messages (4 languages) moved to past tense for crisis/counter keys. Understand page: metadata refreshed. | |
| Updated | Domains | Security: minister-president visits Gare du Midi (17/02) — first field action, security coordination to be strengthened | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Security plan and police merger: Gare du Midi visit highlights coordination fragmentation between police zones, SNCB and Stib | |
| Updated | Domains | Economy: hotel VAT 6% → 12% from 1 March 2026 (federal measure, impact on Brussels hotel sector) | |
| Updated | Sectors | Horeca: hotel VAT increase (6% → 12%) and soft drinks VAT decrease (21% → 12%) from 1 March — impact on Brussels hotel sector | |
| Updated | Domains | Cleanliness: 2025 nitrous oxide operational data — 75 tonnes collected, €12M cost, explosions down 37% (source: Bruxelles-Propreté) | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional: plenary agenda 23 February confirmed. Bilingualism enriched (RPD Dutch version delay, historical context Constitution 1831/1967/1991). Cocof presidency unassigned. | |
| Added | Timeline | New event: plenary agenda for 23 February officially published — RPD as item 1, general debate as item 2. Language debate over Dutch version of RPD continues. | |
| Added | Timeline | New event: government gets to work — immediate meetings, first council of ministers Thursday 19, RPD on 23, confidence vote on 25. Budget measures, language controversy, PTB reactions | |
| Updated | Domains | Budget: first budget measures — hiring freeze, consultant reduction, discretionary subsidy cuts, deficit target <EUR 1B 2026 | |
| Updated | Domains | Institutional: next steps (RPD 23 Feb, confidence vote 25 Feb) + bilingualism — RPD commitment and language controversy | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Good Move monitoring: La Libre analysis (14 Feb.) + Citizens' Committee reaction — divergent readings within the coalition, committee denounces a mere name change | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Metro 3 monitoring: Palais du Midi controversy — ARAU denounces an 'urban planning aberration', stability report (90% below standards), Council of State had suspended demolition permit | |
| Updated | Dossiers | SLRB monitoring: forced sale of 2 sites (Ariane, Palais) and ~200 social housing units to reduce regional debt. Deconsolidation fund announced | |
| Updated | Dossiers | Vivaqua monitoring: €180M recapitalisation (Region 49.99%), Hydria integration, series of sewer collapses (220 km urgent renovation needed, €70M/year required) | |
| Added | Timeline | Validation congresses: MR (unanimous), Engagés (near-unanimous), Anders (unanimous) and CD&V (unanimous) approve the agreement. PS, Vooruit and Groen scheduled for Friday February 13 | |
| Updated | Sectors | Government agreement — updated 6 sector cards: DPR impact on construction, culture, environment, digital, social housing, transport and 5 other sectors | |
| Updated | Domains | Government agreement — updated 6 domains: budget (balance by 2029), mobility (Good Move successor, Metro 3 halted), employment (stricter activation), housing (€400M SLRB), climate (Renolution → zero-interest loans), social (drug commissioner) | |
| Added | Timeline | Brussels government agreement: 7 parties seal a coalition after 613 days of crisis | |
| Added | Municipalities | New section: monitoring Brussels' 19 municipalities. 3 pilot municipalities: City of Brussels, Anderlecht, Schaerbeek (4 languages each) | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring #5: Good Move 'successor announced' at conclave, LEZ €350 fines contested, Villo concession expires Sept. 2026 | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring #3: S&P rating A/negative, Belfius+ING credit lines withdrawn (€1B), 19 municipalities in financial difficulty | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring: Actiris Jan. 2026 (98,458 jobseekers, +7.3%), Brussels bankruptcies +13.6% | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring: in-work poverty 9.6%, health outreach patrols threatened, Athéna medical centre closed | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring #4: added TomTom 2025 congestion data (146h lost/year, 32 min 47s for 10 km, methodology change) | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring: Federia Barometer 2025 (median rent €1,213, leases −10%, investor disengagement) | |
| Updated | Sectors | Update: waiting list 62,234, private investor disengagement (Federia 2025) | |
| Added | Timeline | Monitoring: conclave tensions — Groen isolated on budget and mobility (Good Move) | |
| Added | Comparisons | New comparison: HICP (inflation) across 6 European capitals | |
| Added | Comparisons | New comparison: public transport modal split across 6 European countries | |
| Added | Comparisons | New comparison: GHG emissions per capita across 6 European countries | |
| Added | Comparisons | New comparison: housing cost burden across 6 European countries | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring #2: balanced budget target by 2029 set at conclave (~€1B in savings) | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring #3: Metro 3 total cost estimated at €4.6B, EIB loan €475M | |
| Updated | Domains | Rental market: new leases down 20% in 2024, rents up 2.8% in H1 2024 | |
| Updated | Domains | Added StatBel Q3 2025 data: ILO unemployment rate 13.1% | |
| Updated | Domains | Added StatBel EU-SILC 2025 data: AROPE 37.3% | |
| Updated | Domains | Added StatBel Q3 2025 real estate prices | |
| Added | Comparisons | Poverty comparison across European capitals (Eurostat) | |
| Added | Comparisons | Population density comparison across European capitals (Eurostat) | |
| Updated | Timeline | Opening of the Egmont conclave with 7 parties | |
| Added | Timeline | New round 7: Bouchez initiative | |
| Updated | Domains | Monitoring #1: 5th provisional twelfths, debt €15.65B, Court of Auditors | |
| Updated | Domains | Added IRCELINE 2024 data: PM2.5 record low | |
| Updated | Domains | Metro 3 permit suspended, STIB fare increase | |
| Updated | Solutions | Formateur resignation, citizen roundtable, defusers | |
| Added | Site | Launch of active monitoring |