Rumour or rule?
True or false?
Choose your guess for each rumour.
What people say
“A small amount of cannabis is legal in Belgium.”
What people say
“Briefly crossing the solid line to get into the shop opposite is fine.”
What people say
“In Brussels, you are not allowed to use a motorised lawnmower on a Sunday.”
What people say
“Looking at your phone while waiting at a red light is allowed – the car is stationary.”
What people say
“Home-made sucuk or cheese is no problem at customs.”
What people say
“It is my own money, so I can carry as much cash as I like without telling anyone.”
What people say
“The police do not need to attend every accident.”
What people say
“Arranged matchmaking is banned in Belgium.”
What people say
“A religious marriage performed by an imam is a family matter and none of the state's business.”
What people say
“I can drive in Belgium on a licence issued outside the EU for as long as I like.”
What people say
“Neutering a cat is compulsory in Belgium.”
What people say
“My brother helps out in my restaurant for free; help from family is allowed.”
What people say
“I do not need to tell the Belgian authorities about my bank account abroad.”
What people say
“Lending my bank card to someone for a few days is harmless, and I even get paid for it.”
What people say
“I can still go on holiday abroad while I am receiving unemployment benefit.”
What people say
“If my child breaks something, I am not liable as long as I was supervising them properly.”
What people say
“Noise at night is no longer an offence, so it is allowed.”
What people say
“You are allowed to take dry wood lying on the forest floor.”
What people say
“After an accident, nobody may move until the police arrive.”
What people say
“Holding a phone while cycling is allowed; the ban only applies to cars.”
What people say
“If my foreign-registered car meets the emission standards, I can drive into Brussels without registering it.”
What people say
“If the accident is not my fault, I can leave the scene.”
What people say
“A child under 10 may cycle on the pavement.”
What people say
“In Belgium you are not allowed to go out wearing a headscarf.”
What people say
“The rule against incitement to hatred does not protect migrants; it only protects other groups.”
What people say
“An arranged marriage is an offence in Belgium.”
What people say
“Lending money to someone you know and asking for reasonable interest is not an offence in itself.”
What people say
“An 'educational slap' is legal in Belgium because the Civil Code does not explicitly ban it.”
What people say
“I do not need my ex-partner's consent to share a photo of my own child in a closed WhatsApp group.”
What people say
“I can deduct 80% of the maintenance I send to my parents from my tax.”
What people say
“Whatever someone under 18 does, they will never be tried in an adult court.”
What people say
“If my neighbour's branch overhangs my garden, I can pick the fruit on it.”
What people say
“Dry leaves are natural; burning them in the garden does not harm the environment.”
What people say
“To sort out a problem with a neighbour, you have to hire a lawyer and go to court straight away.”
What people say
“In Wallonia you do not need to apply separately for a permit to keep animals.”
What people say
“In Belgium, voting is compulsory in every election and in every region.”
What people say
“In Flanders, an asbestos certificate is compulsory when you sell a house built before 2001.”
What people say
“If my relative helps build my house for free, they do not need to tell anyone, even if they are unemployed.”
What people say
“As a foreign national, I can lose my right of residence if I stay outside Belgium for more than 1 year.”
What people say
“Bringing in counterfeit goods is fine as long as they are for my own use and not for sale.”
What people say
“I registered my child with the Belgian municipality, so they will automatically be registered in my home country too.”
What people say
“I can raise the party wall at my own expense without asking my neighbour.”
What people say
“Stealing something small is not an offence.”
What people say
“In Belgium it is an offence to record a phone call I am taking part in.”
What people say
“Causing a fatal accident by running a red light is punished more severely than an ordinary fatal accident.”
What people say
“If the house is registered in my name, I can go in whenever I like, even if my ex-partner lives there.”
What people say
“My employer cannot dismiss me while I am on sick leave.”
What people say
“My employer does not have to tell me why I was dismissed.”
What people say
“In Belgium, unemployment benefit now lasts at most 2 years.”
What people say
“If I put my hazard lights on, I can stop on the pavement or in front of a garage for a few minutes.”
What people say
“A payment notice for a blue zone is often a municipal parking charge rather than a traffic fine.”
What people say
“Even if I parked correctly, I always have to pay if my car is towed away.”
What people say
“It is normal to pay the deposit to the landlord in cash.”
What people say
“The landlord can raise the rent whenever they like and by as much as they like.”
What people say
“A tenant can always end a 9-year lease by giving 3 months' notice.”
What people say
“If my spouse does not agree to the divorce, I cannot get divorced in Belgium.”
What people say
“With a will, I can leave everything I own to one of my children or to anyone else.”
What people say
“If I become a Belgian citizen, I will definitely lose my previous citizenship.”
What people say
“A civil marriage performed abroad is also valid in Belgium.”
What people say
“If I had no income last year, I do not need to bother with a tax return.”
What people say
“My European Health Insurance Card is also valid in countries outside the EU.”
What people say
“Family liability insurance (familiale) is not compulsory in Belgium.”
What people say
“As a tenant, fire insurance is the landlord's business, not mine.”
What people say
“When enrolling in a French-speaking secondary school, whoever turns up first on the first day gets a place.”
What people say
“If I cannot pay the school costs, my child will be expelled.”
What people say
“Child benefit is paid automatically in every region.”
What people say
“Part of your childcare costs can be deducted from your tax.”
What people say
“In Belgium, every shop and market stall must speak to customers in the language of the region.”
What people say
“In some Flemish municipalities, the signs and notices on market or fair stalls must be in Dutch.”
What people say
“A speed pedelec is just a bicycle; you do not need a licence or a number plate.”
What people say
“You may sit a small child on the luggage rack at the back of a bicycle.”
What people say
“In Belgium, cyclists are not allowed to ride side by side.”
What people say
“I can leave my bicycle on the pavement.”
What people say
“If I have a B licence, I can ride a 125 cc motorbike straight away.”
What people say
“A 25 km/h moped does not need a number plate or insurance.”
What people say
“In Belgium, motorcyclists may ride between stationary vehicles.”
What people say
“If I put my hazard lights on, I can double-park for a short time.”
What people say
“Charging an electric vehicle also counts as parking.”
What people say
“A municipal parking fine (GAS) is always more expensive than a police fine.”
What people say
“If I have not broken any rule, the police cannot make me take a breath test.”
What people say
“If I do not pay the fine the police offered me, nobody will chase me for it.”
What people say
“I live in Belgium, but if I am stopped in a car with foreign number plates, I must pay on the spot like a foreigner.”
What people say
“If I go more than 20 km/h over the speed limit in town, the police can take my licence away on the spot.”
What people say
“In Belgium, I'm not allowed to fit a steel door to my home.”