Brussels outdoor alcohol ban to remain in place

The ban on public consumption of alcohol in certain areas of Brussels city centre will remain in place until at least 2030 following a positive assessment from the city council of the results so far.

The ban was implemented in 2019 for an initial trial period of six months but has been repeatedly extended, typically in increments of one year. 

It applies mainly to the pedestrian zone in the centre of Brussels, but the area of coverage has been broadened over time to also include the Alhambra district, the area around the Marche Aux Poissons and much of the rest of the city centre. The ban does not apply to bars, restaurants and outdoor terraces.

The number of fines for public nuisance in the area concerned has fallen by 30% since the ban was implemented, which is why the city council wants to make it permanent until the end of the current term of office in 2030. 

“The results are quite encouraging,” a spokesperson for Brussels mayor Philippe Close (PS) told Bruzz.

“There are almost 250 fewer fines in the area in question compared with last year. The ban is therefore effective.”

The data comes from two reports - one from the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone and one drawn up by the city’s prevention service.

According to figures from these reports, Brussels police issued 408 fines for public nuisance linked to alcohol consumption between October 2025 and July 2026 - a reduction of half compared with last year when it comes to the pedestrian zone in particular.

Close said that habits were changing and that the introduction of the police by-law, combined with community outreach and prevention measures, is leading to less alcohol abuse in the city centre. 

“Despite the ban, we’re not seeing the problems shift to other neighbourhoods either, which was the case last year,” Close said.

Violating the ban can lead to a fine of up to €500.

The ban applies 24 hours a day, except during any commercial, festive or sporting events that are officially authorised or organised by the City of Brussels. 

The opposition party Ecolo voted against this latest extension of the ban and the PTB-PVDA party abstained. 

Jérôme Jolibois (Ecolo) asked whether the measure would be more effective if it also included a component of social support measures, and Bruno Bauwens (PTB-PVDA) said police officers had told him that they were no longer issuing fines to certain individuals “because they cannot pay them”. 

“This criminalises people and solves nothing, especially as the Brussels region has ever fewer resources to support the target group in question,” Jolibois said.

Close conceded that the ban is “not a pleasant measure”, saying it was merely “one of the tools we use” in the fight against addiction and that no other local authority takes as many measures to tackle addiction as the City of Brussels. 

“We are trying to work with the organisations to tackle this complex problem,” Close added.