In Belgium, smoking and vaping on terraces will be banned from 2027

From the 1st^er From January 2027, smoking or vaping will no longer be permitted on public terraces or around them within a radius of ten meters around them.[1]Smoking rooms in some cafes and airports will also be banned, as will shisha bars and cigar clubs. This decision, approved by the Council of Ministers, is part of ongoing policies aimed at limiting smoking in public places and achieving a tobacco-free generation by 2040.

New compliance rules for establishments

Managers of the Horeca (hotel, restaurant, and café federation) will have to put up clear signage and ensure that the ban is respected, for example by calling out customers if they light up on the terrace. They will be held responsible in cases of implicit tolerance, for example by providing ashtrays. However, if the rules are applied correctly, no sanctions will be imposed.

The offenders will remain the smokers or vapers themselves. Temporary exemptions may be decided by municipalities for events where the implementation and monitoring of the measure is difficult to apply, such as festivals, fairs, fairs, sales, and Christmas markets.

The amount of the fines has not yet been announced. Currently, fines for violating the smoking ban range from €208 to €8,000.[2].

Since the 1^er As of January 2025, smoking is already banned in amusement parks, animal parks, petting zoos, playgrounds, and sports fields, as well as around public places such as libraries, daycare centers, and hospitals. This extension of the smoking and vaping ban to terraces was originally scheduled to take effect from January 2026, but "An additional year has been granted to allow the establishments concerned to get things in order.", explained the Belga press agency[3].

Passive smoking and vaping among young people in the spotlight

Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke reiterated that the objective is to protect public health and reduce involuntary exposure to smoke. In Belgium, tobacco remains one of the leading causes of premature and preventable mortality, with nearly two deaths every hour, or approximately 8% of the country's annual deaths.

" Protecting people's health and creating a healthy environment for all is our goal. ", explained Mr. Vandendenbroucke. " With these measures, we prevent children and adults from being involuntarily exposed to harmful cigarette smoke and ensure that people are not tempted to light up. Because seeing smoking encourages others to smoke. ".

According to the Sciensano health survey of July 2025, the proportion of smokers is decreasing (17.6 % in 2023 compared to 19.4 % in 2018), with the proportion of people who have never smoked reaching a record level of 58.1 %[4].

On the other hand, vaping is on the rise, especially among young people: more than a fifth of the population has already tried e-cigarettes, and among young people aged 15 to 24, 6.3% say they vape daily and 11.1% occasionally. In addition, 60% of users combine e-cigarettes with traditional cigarettes. Vaping could thus be a gateway to smoking, according to the "gateway effect."

This strengthening of the provisions in force also results from the lack of application by many sellers of the existing measures. Thus, taking into account the fact that half of the sellers violated new regulations banning attractive product designs and slogans,  Tobacco and vaping products can no longer be visible in stores in Belgium since the 1st^er April 2025.

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[1]Belga, Smoking and vaping will be banned on terraces from 2027, Le Soir, published September 12, 2025, consulted September 16, 2025

[2]Brussels Today, Smoking and vaping banned on terraces from 2027: what managers and customers risk, published September 13, 2025, accessed September 16, 2025

[3]Justine Pluchard, Smoking and vaping on terraces will soon be banned in Belgium, La Voix du Nord, published September 13, 2025, consulted September 16, 2025

[4]RTL Info, "We're barely getting our heads above water": the ban on smoking on terraces saddens this industry representative, published September 12, 2025, accessed September 16, 2025

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