Transport, mobility

Belgian road vignette: concerns in border regions

September 2026

An agreement between the Belgian Regions, concluded in July 2026, provides for the introduction of a road charge in the form of a vignette for vehicles travelling on Belgian highways and regional roads. This road vignette scheme is scheduled to come into force on May 1st 2027. The vignette will have to be purchased online, linked to the vehicle’s registration plate, and motorists will be able to choose its period of validity. The annual fee is expected to range from 90 to 125 euros per year, depending on the vehicle’s emissions. This new charge is causing concern in border regions where people commute daily across borders and where local mobility plays a vital role in the economic and social life of these areas.

Belgian border municipalities, and shopkeepers in particular, are concerned about the impact the vignette might have on the number of customers from across the border.

In the Greater Region, the Luxembourg government has asked Wallonia to look into the possibility of establishing a border zone exempt from the charge. Similar concerns have also been raised at the Franco-Belgian border: in Poperinge, in West Flanders, a motion was passed calling for an exemption for the border area.

These initiatives clearly illustrate the importance of considering the specific characteristics of cross-border regions when implementing national policies.