The Brussels government has been sharply criticised by environmental group We Are Nature, which accused the Dilliès administration of acting like a "democratic thug" after issuing a controversial interpretative circular.
The dispute stems from a court ruling on 29 October 2025, which ordered the suspension of urbanisation and soil sealing on undeveloped plots larger than 0.5 hectares in the capital until a new regional land-use plan (PRAS) is adopted, and no later than 31 December 2026.
According to We Are Nature, the circular, adopted last week, effectively instructs administrations to continue processing all permit applications despite the ruling, without clarifying how the government intends to comply with the court's decision.
The association argues this move amounts to an attempt to bypass the judiciary and warns it could expose the Region to costly compensation claims if permits are granted but later cannot be executed.
In response, the group has announced it will add the circular to an ongoing legal action seeking financial penalties against the Region. It also plans to lobby Brussels MPs to push for the withdrawal of the measure.
The Brussels government had already decided to appeal the original ruling, aiming to keep administrative procedures running while the case is reconsidered.
