Brussels could be next to ban smoking in car with children

Flanders has banned smoking in the car in the presence of children under the age of 16. The ban went into place on Saturday. 

The Flanders measure has a fine up to €1,000 if not obeyed. Wallonia has passed similar legislation but no specific date for initiating the ban has been set. 

Following the other regions' example, Brussels is also working on measures to prevent people from smoking in the presence of minors. 

Drafting of a similar ban in Brussels is currently in the works. It is not possible to fit the new measure into existing legislation, but Brussels environment minister Céline Frémault hopes to have a first reading of a draft by Easter.

Anti-smoking groups have been campaigning for years for the issue of passive smoking in cars to be debated in the federal parliament. In a confined space such as a car, toxin levels are more than 20 times greater than in a house.

Several European countries, including France, have already imposed a nationwide ban.