--- title: "Brussels Daily Press Review — 2026-11-11" date: 2026-11-11 lang: en summary: "UZ Brussel cancels planned care after network failure — and more Brussels news of the day." tags: ["news","brussels","press-review"] image: "/news/covers/2026/11/2026-11-11-cover.png" --- # Brussels Daily Press Review — 2026-11-11 *Brussels has drizzle, underground bins and shared bikes. I remain the city's most reliable water feature.* ## TL;DR - UZ Brussel hopes to resume normal care on Thursday, 12 November, but cannot confirm; planned procedures are cancelled and emergency ambulances are being diverted to neighbouring hospitals. - Brussels commune and CPAS unions will rally at Place Rogier at 10:00 on 13 November, warning that job cuts and understaffing threaten services for residents. - Brussels care provider Wheel of Care is dismissing 30 staff, roughly half midwives, leaving about ten home nurses continuing and midwives planning a separate practice. - All 48 Brussels healthcare sites analysed exceed WHO nitrogen dioxide guidance, with 16 above 15 µg/m³; exposure can worsen cardiovascular and respiratory conditions in vulnerable patients. - Miran Scheers starts as Brussels drugs commissioner on 1 January 2027, with three months to coordinate addiction support and security action across fragmented authorities. - A Brussels committee backed keeping shared bikes until May 2028, capped at 2,500 per operator; shared e-scooters will disappear on 1 January, while motor scooters remain. ## 🌤️ Weather 🌧️ Light drizzle in Brussels today — between 6°C and 8°C (now 7°C). ## UZ Brussel cancels planned care after network failure The outage began around 12:30 on Tuesday, disrupting both IT infrastructure and telephones. Only urgent interventions are being performed, while the hospital says inpatient safety remains guaranteed. Teams are working around the clock, including during Wednesday’s public holiday, and information about Thursday’s consultations is due on Wednesday. The cause remains unidentified, with no current indication of a cyberattack. Source: - [L’UZ Brussel touché par une importante panne informatique: “Nous espérons pouvoir rep... - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/panne-de-reseau-a-luz-brussel-les-soins-ambulatoires-et-les-urgences-suspendus/) ## Brussels unions call commune and CPAS workers to Friday austerity protest In Molenbeek, 40 post cuts and a halving of the year-end bonus were announced in June; further dismissals have followed among community wardens and commune-linked associations. Unions say rising welfare, pension and police costs are squeezing local budgets, while unemployment-benefit time limits push more people towards already stretched CPAS services. They demand job and pay protection, replacement of departing staff and structural refinancing, including full federal funding of integration income. A meeting with Minister-President Boris Dilliès and Local Authorities Minister Ahmed Laaouej is announced for Friday. Sources: - [Mobilisation des agents des communes et CPAS bruxellois vendredi contre l’austérité - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/mobilisation-des-agents-des-communes-et-cpas-bruxellois-vendredi-contre-lausterite/) - [Brussels Unions to protest austerity measures on Friday 13 November - Brussels Times](https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/2401188/brussels-unions-to-protest-austerity-measures-on-friday-13-november/) - [Molenbeek: une quarantaine de manifestants réclament des garanties sur l’emploi - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/molenbeek-une-quarantaine-de-manifestants-reclament-des-garanties-sur-lemploi/) ## Wheel of Care cuts 30 jobs as Brussels subsidy remains unpaid Founded in 2017, the organisation carried out 10,000 home visits annually, according to founder Flora Billiouw. It had counted on €92,000 from Vivalis this year, but the money remains unpaid while bills have continued to accumulate. Billiouw says she was told the subsidy would not be renewed; Vivalis says the current application awaits political approval and that a 2027 award is for the United College to decide. Billiouw will coordinate the remaining nurses voluntarily, while the midwives’ planned new practice is called La matriz. Source: - [Zorgorganisatie Wheel of Care schrapt 30 jobs na uitblijven subsidies - BRUZZ](https://www.bruzz.be/actua/samenleving/zorgorganisatie-wheel-care-schrapt-30-jobs-na-uitblijven-subsidies-2026-11-11) ## UCLouvain analysis finds excessive NO₂ at all 48 Brussels care sites studied The WHO recommends an annual average NO₂ concentration no higher than 10 µg/m³; facilities examined include Clinique Saint-Jean, Saint-Pierre and Brugmann university hospitals. Campaign group Les chercheurs d’air is urging stronger protection through the Low Emission Zone and a zero-emission zone for lorries and vans in the city centre. Those vehicles account for 16% of road-traffic kilometres in Brussels but 39% of the sector’s NO₂ emissions. The proposed LEZ pass would allow certain diesel vehicles to remain until 2034 rather than the current 2030 deadline. Source: - [One third of Brussels healthcare facilities overexposed to NO₂ - Brussels Times](https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/2400040/one-third-of-brussels-healthcare-facilities-overexposed-to-no%e2%82%82/) ## Brussels gives incoming drugs commissioner three months to draw up strategy Minister-President Boris Dilliès said the strategy must connect regional services, communes, police zones and federal authorities. It must define how welfare and public health measures fit alongside security policy, distinguishing support and harm reduction for drug users from police and judicial action against trafficking networks responsible for armed violence. Scheers will also evaluate the strategy and propose adjustments where necessary. Sources: - [Violences liées à la drogue: la commissaire bruxelloise aux drogues a trois mois pour... - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/violences-liees-a-la-drogue-la-commissaire-bruxelloise-aux-drogues-a-trois-mois-pour-presenter-une-strategie/) - [New Brussels drugs commissioner given three months to draft co-ordinating strategy - Brussels Times](https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/2401313/new-brussels-drugs-commissioner-given-three-months-to-draft-co-ordinating-strategy/) ## Brussels committee backs shared-bike transition through May 2028 The Council of State annulled existing shared-bike and e-scooter permits at the end of July following an operator’s legal challenge. The proposed transitional regime would let qualifying bike operators continue without interruption until 1 May 2028, with fleet limits intended to prevent overcrowded mandatory parking areas. The framework also sets tender eligibility, operator fees and fines, but still requires plenary approval before year-end. It passed committee by nine votes to three, with three abstentions. Sources: - [Vélos en libre-service: leur maintien assuré jusqu’en 2028 à Bruxelles - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/bruxelles-adopte-un-nouveau-cadre-pour-maintenir-les-velos-en-libre-service/) - [Brussels committee approves new shared mobility framework - Brussels Times](https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels-2/2402110/brussels-committee-approves-new-shared-mobility-framework/) ## Brussels student rooms average €705 a month, Belgium’s highest The Kotkompas study by Diggit StudentLife and Stadim puts the Belgian monthly average at €600, up €10 or 1.7% from last year. Regional averages are €625 in Flanders and €545 in Wallonia, while Brussels rooms with private bathrooms average €720. Brussels also has the highest average charges, at €125 a month. Across Belgium, total average student-housing costs have risen from €475 to €600 over six years. Source: - [Kots étudiants: Bruxelles reste la région la plus chère avec un loyer moyen de 705 eu... - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/un-kot-coute-en-moyenne-600-euros-par-mois-en-belgique-bruxelles-reste-la-plus-chere/) ## Dirk De Smedt urges legal challenge to retained Brussels flight route Federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke allowed the trial period to expire without ending the route, which passes over hundreds of thousands of Brussels residents. De Smedt wants the regional government to seek annulment at the Council of State, citing aircraft noise, including at night, and residents’ health. Hundreds of Brussels families have joined legal proceedings against the approach route, and the Region has already taken legal steps. Source: - [Survol de Bruxelles: Dirk De Smedt veut saisir le Conseil d’État contre la “route Cru... - BX1](https://bx1.be/categories/news/survol-de-bruxelles-dirk-de-smedt-veut-saisir-le-conseil-detat-contre-la-route-crucke/)