The City of Brussels is reintroducing a regulation about children under the age of 16 begging in the streets of the capital.
In November 2025, the Council of State annulled a regulation prohibiting begging with a child under the age of 16 within the territory of the City of Brussels.
According to the ruling, the initial regulation did not respect the best interests of the child, as it included "a punitive element". This included an administrative fine of up to €350 for people begging on the street with their child.
Now, a new regulation has been proposed by the City of Brussels' board, which will be put to a vote at next Monday’s municipal council meeting.
"The fundamental principle is that children belong in school, not on the streets," said Philippe Close (PS), Mayor of the City of Brussels. “So, we are revising this regulation and addressing the comments made by the Council of State, to ensure there are no children on the streets."
In the new proposal, the area covered by the regulation – which the Council of State deemed too broad – has been narrowed. "We are limiting it to the Pentagon/Vijfhoek area and Avenue Louise, the areas most affected by this."
"What remains is that it is forbidden to make children beg. Our previous regulation was successful in that there were no longer any children begging on the streets. Today, we are revising this regulation to continue this policy," he said.
In cases of begging involving a child, fines can reach €500 and the matter can be referred to the youth prosecutor's office because it may be considered child abuse. "At the same time, we have made places available in our schools so that they can follow a curriculum," said Close.
Aggressive begging – "whether physical or verbal, or in an insistent or intimidating manner" – will also be prohibited under this regulation, "but the idea is not to drive away people who are in a precarious situation," he added.
