From May 2027, most cars crossing into Belgium will be subject to a €9 fee per trip, while an annual vignette will cost between €90 and €125 depending on the vehicle. The announcement has unsettled business owners just over the border and their predominantly Luxembourgish clientele, who are now unsure whether their routines will change.
Business owners in the commercial zones just beyond the border are already feeling the effects. Steve Braff, manager of the indoor skydiving centre Luxfly, stressed the importance of making the vignette easy to buy online. He estimates that around 90% of his customers come from Luxembourg and worries the new charge will put many visitors off.
Details of how the vignette will be introduced are still being finalised, adding to concerns among frequent cross-border travellers. Several Luxembourgers interviewed by RTL said the extra cost would discourage regular trips. One man, who visits the large retail area near Arlon once or twice a month, said he would stop coming if a vignette became necessary, as he could find major sports shops elsewhere. A mother redeeming a voucher at Luxfly said a vignette would not be worthwhile for short trips over the border.
On Thursday mornings, Arlon's market still draws large crowds, including many visitors from Luxembourg, but shoppers are rethinking their habits. A couple from Oberpallen said they had already accepted the idea of an annual vignette: at around €100, it would still be worthwhile for weekly market visits and the occasional meal in Belgium. A family from Luxembourg City said a day vignette would suit their less frequent visits, though they would wait to see how the system is implemented before deciding whether to keep coming as often.
Catrine Arnold, a local optician and president of Arlon's Merchants and Industry Association (ACIA), believes residents living near the border and used to visiting Arlon will keep doing so. She fears, however, that Belgium will become less attractive overall, as the region relies on cross-border customers and employees. The association has little power to influence policy, she said, but she considers the vignette a worrying sign for local businesses.
The vignette is due to take effect in May 2027, but enforcement will only begin in July. The initial penalty for not having one will be €70, with higher fines for repeat offences. Before then, the cooperation agreement between Belgium's three regions must still be passed into law, and the legislation will also need to withstand scrutiny at EU level.
