The 2026 budget (revenue EUR 6.622B, expenditure EUR 7.613B, deficit EUR 957M) was approved in plenary on 27 March (53 for / 32 against). Definitive end of provisional twelfths. S&P confirms A / negative outlook rating. Deutsche Bank grants EUR 250M credit line — a signal of confidence.
Key figures
2026 budget voted in plenary (53/32)
Budget regime
6.622billion EUR
Revenue 2026
7.613billion EUR
Expenditure 2026
957million EUR (under the billion promised in the DPR)
Cleanliness: regional brigades and immediate fine collection
Ongoing
The 2026 budget allocates EUR 315M to Bruxelles-Proprete (+2M vs 2025) + EUR 28M for Midi station. The single-use plastic EPR is voted (EUR 51.4M/year). Collection reform: yellow bags biweekly, white bags 1x/week in 11 municipalities. Three-day strike (18-20 March), 38% of trucks at depot on day 2.
The DPR maintains the LEZ and replaces Renolution with zero-interest loans. Vivaqua and Hydria merge (EUR 180M recapitalisation). However, no new CO2 targets are set — an ambiguous signal for the climate trajectory.
Key figures
-47%vs 2005 (Fit for 55)
2030 CO2 reduction target
Diesel Euro 5 bannedsince 01/01/2026 (~225,000 vehicles)
Digital: bridging the digital divide and administrative simplification
Ongoing
The RPD provides for tackling the digital divide, administrative simplification via Easy Brussels and IRISbox, smart city deployment, and positioning Brussels as an AI capital.
Economy: Urban Free Zone (Port + Audi Forest), AI capital
Ongoing
Triple austerity shock on attractiveness: Visit Brussels loses ~EUR 6M (trajectory 22→8M EUR by 2029, ~90 jobs at risk). Hub.brussels: international budget cut by ⅔ (10.2→4.2M EUR by 2029), 33 offices threatened — confirmed by Minister Hublet (BX1). Deutsche Bank grants EUR 250M to the Region (confidence signal). Defence cluster Bedex. Hotel VAT doubled (6→12%).
Key figures
+0.4%construction +6% (buildings and property development +10%, specialised works +4%), accommodation +10%, business services stable
Market activity growth (2025, IBSA)
12% (was 6%)
Hotel VAT rate (from 1 March 2026)
6M EUR by 2029 (3M in 2026, +1M/year, on 10.2M budget)
Education: childcare places, school dropout and Cocof/VGC tensions
Ongoing
The RPD provides for creating childcare places, tackling school dropout, strengthening vocational education, and coordinating between Cocof, VGC and Communities for Brussels education policies.
Employment: 70% target, enhanced activation and bilingualism
Ongoing
The DPR targets a 70% employment rate by end of term, but the real structural rate is only ~55% (Itinera data). With 93,732 jobseekers in May 2026 (−1.7% over the month) and 42,000 exclusions from the unemployment reform, the gap to close is 15 points.
Key figures
352,200i.e. −4,500 over one year (−1.3%), first fall in more than ten years over four quarters
Housing: EUR 400M for the SLRB, 1,000 public housing units
Ongoing
The DPR provides for EUR 400M for the SLRB, 1,000+ public housing units, the doubling of Be Home (EUR 164 → 328/year, confirmed at first reading on 18 June 2026) and the replacement of Renolution with zero-interest loans (EUR 200M). Brownfield sites are arbitrated (18-month moratorium on 4 sites).
Institutional reform: merging 25 structures into 4 pillars
Ongoing
The RPD provides for the most ambitious restructuring of the Brussels regional apparatus: merging 25 structures into 4 pillars (Cross-cutting services, Core missions, infrastructure.brussels, Land coordination). Pillars 1 and 2 must be operational by 2026.
Mobility: new regional plan, Metro 3 frozen, LEZ maintained
Ongoing
The DPR provides for a successor to Good Move (new Regional Mobility Plan), freezes Metro 3 for 10 years in favour of a tram, maintains the LEZ (pass EUR 350/year, fine reduced to EUR 80) and adds a 2nd car-free Sunday.
Key figures
1,459in 2025 (vs 1,239 in 2024; average disruption duration down)
STIB-MIVB — metro technical incidents
Frozen 10 years (agreement)
Metro 3 (new phases)
Permit suspendedby the Council of State (18/12/2025)
Security: anti-drug commissioner, €10M for stations, stable crime rate
Ongoing
Operation Green Shield: 200 soldiers deployed in Brussels and Antwerp (23 March, 3 months, reduction to 90), ~600 personnel in rotation. SIAMU dotation tripled (EUR 15.4M/year). North Station hotspot task force (night closure 1am-6am). Violence escalation in Saint-Gilles (3 incidents 15-18 April, school hit). CPAS Anderlecht assault (25 March). Anti-drug commissioner and EUR 10M for stations planned in the RPD.
Key figures
10million EUR (Midi and Nord stations)
Station security investment
1.5million EUR/year from 2027 (creation confirmed on 16 June 2026)
Regional drugs commissioner — budget
~60 camerasNorth and Midi stations, within a 10 M EUR/year plan (18 June 2026)
Social affairs: EUR 10M for stations, drug commissioner, services protected
Ongoing
The DPR provides for EUR 10M for station security (Midi and Nord), a regional drug commissioner and protection of social services. The minister-president's security role is reinforced. Kanal saved (EUR 60M).
Urban Planning: faster permits and planning amnesty
Ongoing
The RPD provides for accelerated urban planning permits, a planning amnesty for historic violations, the removal of the CRMS binding opinion, and the revival of the Neo project at the Heysel.
Brussels Governance Monitor