The Belgian federal government must revise the flight routes above Brussels Airport, the country’s main international hub located in Zaventem. That’s the verdict of the Brussels Court of Appeal, which ruled in a recent judgment that the current organization of air traffic infringes on public health and fails to fairly distribute noise pollution, Belgian press agency Belga reports.
This is not the first time courts have ruled against the flight paths introduced between 2012 and 2014 by then-State Secretary Melchior Wathelet. Despite earlier legal orders to cease the use of these routes, the federal government failed to act. Consequently, several municipalities located north of Brussels – Wemmel, Grimbergen, Vilvoorde, Meise, and Machelen – took their case to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the current setup disproportionately burdens their communities with excessive noise pollution due to the lack of proper route distribution.
In its April 14 ruling, the Court of Appeal stated that the existing noise burden distribution constitutes a threat to public health. The court criticized the government for failing to properly consider or balance health concerns in its decision-making process.
“The distribution of noise pollution poses a threat to public health,” the judgment reads. “The interests of public health were not sufficiently studied, considered, or weighted. Such an approach inevitably results in outcomes that burden public health more than necessary or cause unequal environmental harm that cannot be reasonably justified.”
While the court has granted the federal government a two-year window to reorganize the flight paths, it did not impose any financial penalties for non-compliance. The court noted that previous fines failed to prompt any action from the government. However, it left the door open for potential penalties in the future, should the current ruling also go unenforced.
Walter Vansteenkiste, mayor of Wemmel and former chairman of the Airport Region Platform, welcomed the ruling, albeit with reservations.
“We regret that no penalties were imposed, as they could have served as additional leverage,” Vansteenkiste commented. “But the most important takeaway is that the court has once again ruled in our favor. Even though the government has ignored previous decisions, we continue to believe in the rule of law.”
The ruling adds further pressure on the Belgian government to address long-standing concerns over air traffic noise around Brussels Airport, and to find a sustainable and equitable solution that respects both environmental standards and community well-being.
