BelgiumPublic health
Reprieve for terrace smokers: ban will miss its 2027 start date
The ban will not take effect on 1 January 2027 as planned. Café owners are relieved.
The smoking ban on café terraces will not come into force on 1 January 2027. The office of Public Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) confirmed the delay after the Council of State made further comments on the text, VRT NWS and De Standaard report.
Het Nieuwsblad visited café owners, who reacted with relief. Some accuse the minister of not understanding why customers on a terrace want a cigarette.