As of today, February 9, it is prohibited to smoke in a vehicle where a minor (under 16) is present, and that on the whole of Flanders’s territory. Anyone who disregards this rule risks up to 1,000 euros fine.
The Flemish decree, initiated by former Flemish Environment Minister Joke Schauvliege (CD&V), also applies to electronic cigarettes.
In Wallonia, the Walloon Parliament also approved, in late January, the banning of smoking in cars in the presence of a minor. This concerns all minors under 18, and not 16 as in Flanders. The fine could reach 1,000 euros. But the rule should not come into effect before 2020.
"The date has not yet been endorsed; it will be included in a future decree related to environmental offenses which will soon be issued," the spokesperson for Walloon Minister of Environment Antonio Di Carlo (CDH) said.
In Brussels, no order on the subject has yet been passed.
The Brussels Times
