Aurélie Czekalski (MR) highlighted the fragility of the Horeca sector, which is struggling to recover from recent economic crises. She insisted on the need to support businesses before imposing new restrictions on them. “We are not against the energy transition, but we need a support plan for the Horeca sector, already in great difficulty.”. The MR asked that the issue of heaters be postponed to the next legislature, believing that the sector had not been sufficiently consulted on this measure.
The other parties also expressed doubts about the ban in 2025. The Socialists stressed that the environmental projections were vague and did not take sufficient account of the specificities of Brussels. The PS thus supported the amendment aimed at postponing the ban until 2026, in order to give the Horeca sector the time necessary to adapt to this new rule. Jonathan De Patoul (Défi) shared a similar point of view, insisting that it was difficult to impose such a ban without providing solutions for traders. “We agree to move towards an energy transition, but we need real and immediate support for this transition to be successful.”.
Heaters on terraces in Brussels: towards a ban, the terms and date still unknown
The ban on heaters only concerns devices located on uncovered terraces. “This only concerns a small minority of the Horeca sector”shade Alain Maron. “This measure is already in place in other countries.”
Finally, a compromise was found thanks to an amendment presented by Mounir Laarissi (Les Engagés) co-signed by the majority of parties present in committee, who proposed to postpone the ban on heaters until June 2026. Socialists, ecologists, Defi , Les Engagés, the Ahidar team and the PTB voted for this amendment.
The idea is to give the Horeca sector additional time to prepare while maintaining climate objectives. “The Horeca sector is going through a difficult period. It is necessary to give it time to adapt”explained the Jettois MP. The amendment passed, although a proposal to move the date back to December 2027 failed to find consensus before the vote. This proposal was, however, supported by the Horeca federation. “The MR did not support it, which brought us back to the original amendment that we had tabled. A missed opportunity to find an agreement that suited everyone.”regrets Mounir Laarissi.
“Today, almost half of your bill is used to pay staff”: what the Horeca sector is hoping for from current federal negotiations
Despite this postponement, the Horeca sector remains in uncertainty. The Brussels government has promised support, in particular through tax reforms and support measures, but the situation remains complex. Alain Maron, Brussels Minister of the Environment, recalled that this decision does not mark the end of discussions and that the government will continue to work with the Horeca sector to meet its needs. “The ban on heaters is a measure that is part of a set of policies aimed at reducing energy consumption. However, we must find support solutions so that this transition takes place in the best conditions.”he concluded.
The text must now be approved by the entire Parliament during the plenary session on January 31.
