--- title: "Brussels Daily Press Review — 2026-11-04" date: 2026-11-04 lang: en summary: "Molenbeek keeps Quai de Mariemont closed pending demolition after fire — and more Brussels news of the day." tags: ["news","brussels","press-review"] image: "/news/covers/2026/11/2026-11-04-cover.png" --- # Brussels Daily Press Review — 2026-11-04 *Clear skies, 4°C: Brussels has sunshine, but my fountain is questioning its career choices.* ## TL;DR - Quai de Mariemont remains closed between Rue de Bonne and Rue de Manchester, even to pedestrians, with no reopening date because a fire-damaged building risks collapse. - Brussels plans a single registration list for participating social rental agencies and stronger housing checks under a reform expected to take effect in early 2028. - Brussels’ winter eviction moratorium runs from November 1 to March 15, but tenants still owe payments and court proceedings can continue. - KevlinX’s Neder-over-Heembeek data centre is projected to use 140 GWh annually initially; Elia says this does not necessarily threaten household supply or directly raise bills. - Uccle can now impose administrative sanctions on 14- and 15-year-olds, with fines of up to €175 intended as a last resort. - Protesters will form a human chain at Brussels’ Palace of Justice today at 17:00, followed by town-hall gatherings at 18:00 before Thursday’s parliamentary vote. ## 🌤️ Weather ☀️ Clear in Brussels today — between 4°C and 11°C (now 4°C). ## Molenbeek keeps Quai de Mariemont closed pending demolition after fire An expert assessment found irreversible damage to the load-bearing roof structure of a clothing business. The closure extends several hundred metres while the commune awaits demolition of the dangerous building. The fire began around 03:30 on Saturday in premises containing a warehouse, offices and an events hall, and was contained a few hours later. Source: - [Molenbeek: plusieurs bâtiments menacent toujours de s’effondrer quai de Mariemont - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/molenbeek-plusieurs-batiments-menacent-toujours-de-seffondrer-quai-de-mariemont/) ## Brussels government approves framework for social rental agency reform The region’s 22 social rental agencies manage more than 8,100 privately owned homes let at affordable rents to lower-income households. Housing Secretary Karine Lalieux cited the 2025 bankruptcies of the Saint-Josse and Anderlecht-Cureghem agencies as evidence that financial problems are detected too late. The framework envisages annual financial assessments, staged recovery support before sanctions, stronger allocation and governance checks, and a minimum housing portfolio per agency. Source: - [Le gouvernement bruxellois approuve la réforme des Agences Immobilières Sociales - RTBF](https://www.rtbf.be/article/le-gouvernement-bruxellois-approuve-la-reforme-des-agences-immobilieres-sociales-11804793) ## Brussels suspends most rental evictions for winter The protection covers privately and publicly rented homes across all 19 communes, suspending enforcement rather than cancelling eviction judgments. Unless a judge authorises an exception, bailiffs must wait until March 16; exceptions include unsafe housing, dangerous tenant behaviour, available rehousing or an owner’s force-majeure need to move in. Tenants must continue paying an occupation charge equivalent to rent, and existing arrears remain due. The CPAS is notified when eviction proceedings begin and can contact the household to offer support. Source: - [Expulsions locatives à Bruxelles: que change réellement le moratoire hivernal ? - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/expulsions-locatives-a-bruxelles-que-change-reellement-le-moratoire-hivernal/) ## KevlinX data centre set to use 3% of Brussels’ electricity in first phase Completed at the end of 2025, BRU01 should soon become operational with 20 MW of connection capacity granted by Elia. A similarly sized second phase is planned from 2028, adding another 20 MW, while initial water use could reach 140,000 cubic metres annually. Brussels MP Lotte Stoops questioned how much grid capacity should go to servers rather than hospitals, tram depots or charging stations. Elia says supply security must be assessed nationally and any bill impact considered across wider grid investments. Source: - [New data centre in Brussels to account for 3% of region’s total electricity consumption - Brussels Times](https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/2390067/new-data-centre-in-brussels-to-account-for-3-of-regions-total-electricity-consumption/) ## Uccle lowers minimum age for administrative sanctions from 16 to 14 Acting mayor Valentine Delwart cited damage to street furniture and insults directed at municipal staff among incidents prompting the decision. Uccle becomes the fourth Brussels commune to adopt the lower age threshold, after Etterbeek, Koekelberg and Berchem-Sainte-Agathe. Children’s rights and human rights organisations contest the measure, saying available evidence does not establish that such sanctions reduce repeat offending. In Etterbeek, only five cases resulted in fines over five years. Source: - [Uccle abaisse à 14 ans l’âge minimum pour infliger des sanctions administratives aux... - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/reportages/uccle-abaisse-a-14-ans-lage-minimum-pour-infliger-des-sanctions-administratives-aux-jeunes/) ## Opponents of home-entry bill plan Brussels Palace of Justice human chain More than 55 gatherings are announced across Belgium against the federal home-entry bill, bringing together exiled people’s collectives, associations, judicial professionals, human rights defenders and academics. Brussels town-hall actions are planned in Etterbeek, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Uccle, Watermael-Boitsfort and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre; Berchem-Sainte-Agathe remains unconfirmed. Organisers oppose what they describe as a further tightening of federal migration policy. Source: - [Visites domiciliaires: plus de 55 rassemblements prévus mercredi contre les visites d... - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/visites-domiciliaires-plus-de-55-rassemblements-prevus-mercredi-contre-les-visites-domiciliaires/) ## Youth organisations demand independent scrutiny of protest policing Students demonstrated in Brussels and Liège on October 9 and 12 over education in the French-speaking community. The CIDJ, children’s rights defender, Service droit des jeunes, Ligue des familles and Forum des jeunes are among those backing the joint appeal. Witness accounts describe physical, verbal and racist abuse, while medical student Guillaume Gossens said teachers formed protective cordons around minors. The signatories condemn damage but argue it should not eclipse students’ demands or justify disproportionate force. Sources: - [Des associations dénoncent les violences policières lors des manifestations: “La jeun... - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/manifestations-des-jeunes-des-associations-denoncent-les-violences-policieres-a-bruxelles/) - [Manifestation étudiante: “Le premier acteur de la violence, c’est l’État” - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/manifestation-etudiante-le-premier-acteur-d-ela-violence-cest-letat/) ## AWV to close Léonard tunnel for November 11 safety tests The E411 will remain open, but the Flemish Traffic Centre expects substantial disruption there, on Avenue de Tervueren and on surrounding roads despite the public holiday. Traffic will be diverted above ground while AWV tests the tunnel’s safety systems. A separate closure affects both R0 tunnel directions and exits towards the E411 from 21:00 on November 9 until 05:30 on November 10. Further night closures are scheduled on November 4, 8–12 and 23–26, and December 16–17. Source: - [Le tunnel Léonard fermé à la circulation plusieurs heures le 11 novembre - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/le-tunnel-leonard-ferme-a-la-circulation-plusieurs-heures-le-11-novembre/)