The Brussels Parliament announced on Friday a new plan to adapt to a more sustainable future by changing "energy-guzzling practices" in the future.
The decision is part of a drive to reduce unnecessary spending on energy, such as for lighting billboards or unused buildings. “In 2025, it will be hard to understand why heated or cooled shops leave their doors wide open, or why empty buildings are lit all night long,” a statement by the Minister of Climate and Energy Alain Maron reads.
Shops that use air conditioning or heating will also now be required to close their doors to limit heat loss.
The ban on gas heaters follows a previous decision from the regional Parliament, which banned all types of terrace heating from June 2026. This decree has now been revised to allow electric heating to remain beyond that date.
This modification to the ruling serves to protect the café culture in Brussels and was adopted after a proposal by Vooruit politician Pascal Smet. “Brussels has a great café culture. That has to be preserved. If the catering industry goes badly, the city goes badly. And we want to avoid that at all costs! I am therefore delighted that parliament has followed our proposal," stated Smet.
Initial plans for a blanket ban on heaters were met with criticism and controversy across the hospitality industry last month, due to the drastic economic effects of the potential measures.
