Nearly 500 jobs in Flanders could be lost due to changes in vehicle inspection regulations starting this September, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.
The Flemish government is relaxing car inspection rules, eliminating mandatory checks for second-hand vehicles and extending inspection deadlines.
A report from Regional Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder suggests these changes will result in 1.4 million fewer inspections by 2027 compared to 2024.
Job losses are expected as a direct consequence, with 121 inspectors losing their positions in 2026, followed by 323 in 2027, and another 54 in 2028, according to the newspaper’s estimates.
These figures, based on calculations from the minister’s office, do not include the anticipated revenue loss from inspection centres facing competition from garages, meaning the true impact on jobs could be even greater.
Flemish vehicle inspection centres operate under public management contracts, so most costs related to layoffs—estimated at over €32 million—will fall on taxpayers in Flanders.
