Systematic inspection of the particulate filter in Belgium

From July 1, 2022, all Belgian technical control centers will be equipped with devices to detect a defective or missing particle filter on diesel vehicles. 

So, after the Netherlands, Belgium will also introduce a systematic monitoring of the performance of the particulate filter on diesel vehicles which undergo an annual vehicle inspection.

Until now, the technical control centers that used opacimeters did not have the equipment to detect the absence or malfunction of the particulate filter. But, by July 1, 2022, the control centers will be equipped with a particle counter device to which diesel vehicles (cars and light commercial and light transport vehicles) will be subjected.

This makes Belgium a pioneer in Europe in the fight against particle filter fraud.

The new coordinated Belgian approach will avoid the “shopping for technical control”, since each driver will contact the control center of his choice. In a first phase, all vehicles and vans fitted with a diesel engine of the Euro 5b standard and more recent (which must therefore be fitted with a filter) will be checked. Ultimately, they would like to study the extension of this measure to trucks, buses and gasoline vehicles.