Smoking legislation in Belgium

Can anyone give me some brief info on the smoking legislation in Belgium / Brussels ?

Is smoking still permitted in bars ?

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smoking is allowed in some bars, usually small and no food provided, otherwise the legislation is more or less the same as in the UK.

A have a couple of local bars in my town which allow smoking and the Irish Pub allows smoking as well.

Not sure which bars in Brussels to recommend, I hardly ever go there.

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The plan

2005: Companies should have implemented smoking plans to discourage smoking.

January 2006: Smoking prohibited in the work area.

January 2007: Smoking banned in restaurants and bars, except in the ones that serve %26quot;light meals%26quot; (e.g. cold meals, pizzas and warm meals that are served with bread instead of french fries) and have less of 30% of their sales from food servings. Small bars are also not included in the ban. Most large bars, such as concert venues, do little to enforce the ban.

September 2008: Smoking no longer allowed in schools.

January 2010: After a general smoking ban, including all types of bars had been discussed, this has been watered down to a smoking ban applying only when food is served

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Thanks

I guess what you are saying is that you will find a non-smoking bar if you want one and also you will find a smoking bar if you prefer that.

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Yes.

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there is a world of difference between the legislation and practice.

many places alow smoing at all times whatever the legislation says.

Tyhere are bars that don%26#39;t allow smoking at all but not many and there is no way of idenifying them until you go in.

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but you can smell it :) and look out for ashtrays.

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I wandered into the Oude Arsenal in Antwerp to try their huge range of beers.

No need to light up - just inhale a few lungfuls of the %26#39;atmosphere%26#39;.

I%26#39;d forgotten what is was like to wake up the next day with all your clothes reeking of smoke.

I think Belgium and the Netherlands will be among the last bastions of smoking in public places.

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on the other hand, there is a total smoking ban at Zaventem airport, but not in CDG or Schiphol, not that I care personally, but my girlfriend does!

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Most of the smokefree café%26#39;s are listed here:

www.rookvrij.be/horeca/rookvrij_uitgaan.html

Het %26quot;goudblommeke in papier%26quot; is a must.

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We wandered into a few bars in the area we were staying in (Saint-Gilles) and definitely was permitted!