A Brussels court ruled the Brussels-Capital Region is at fault for eight years of not providing sites for Gens du voyage since 2018 and ordered at least 60 serviced pitches for caravans within six months, with concrete deadlines and penalties.

The judge on October 15, 2026 emphasized urgent action, setting deadlines and financial penalties if the region fails to comply.

State secretary for housing Karine Lalieux and secretary of state for spatial planning Audrey Henry said the judgment will be reviewed to craft amendments and an action plan.

Advocates warn that lacking official sites leads to evictions, informal settlements, and limits on education and utilities for traveller families.

The ruling raises questions about whether the region will comply, appeal, or let fines accrue rather than invest in long-term solutions.

The ruling cites violations of fundamental rights—decent housing, privacy and family life, and non-discrimination—as grounds for the decision, following actions by ASBL Comité national des Gens du voyage and Unia.

The government has not yet issued a response; Brussels’ current political program doesn’t mention Gens du voyage, and an appeal is possible amid funding constraints and land scarcity.

Brussels has 12 months to adopt implementing decrees for Article 191 of the Brussels Housing Code, detailing minimum safety, hygiene, and facilities for mobile homes.

The court rejected excuses about institutional complexity and land scarcity, instead attaching concrete deadlines and penalties.

The region must provide 60 serviced sites within 180 days and, within 12 months, establish a regulatory framework guaranteeing sanitary living conditions for itinerant housing, including water, electricity, waste management, and vehicle access.

The sites must include water and electricity, regular waste collection, and a waste-water drainage system to accommodate at least 60 caravans.

Two key obligations: (1) provision of suitable sites for 60 caravans within 180 days, and (2) adoption of a health and sanitation framework for itinerant housing within 12 months.