Fairground activities

Specific regulations govern the operation and organization of fairground activities in Brussels. These guidelines outline the requirements for acquiring a fairground space and running attractions or food stalls at the fairgrounds.

Why specific regulations? 

With the development of leisure activities and amusement parks, the demands of fairground customers have changed.

To keep up with these developments, fairground operators have had to invest heavily in ever more sophisticated and therefore more expensive attractions. Yet their situation remained the same. They faced challenges with differences in local rules for accessing fairs. There was no guarantee that they could get a spot, keep it, or pass it on if they sold their business or stopped trading.

What do the specific regulations for fairground operators provide? 

• A framework of general provisions for all municipal by-laws, as well as minimum rights. These rights offer operators guarantees relating to obtaining, retaining and transferring pitches, guaranteeing them better business conditions and making it possible for them to plan their careers.
• Greater stability, with the necessary flexibility for local authorities, who can manage fairs in such a way as to renew activities in the interests of the fair.
• Greater consumer safety through better control of fairground attractions.

Is a fairground operator authorization required?

No. As of 1 April 2024, it is no longer necessary to apply for regional authorization as a fairground operator in Brussels.

However, you must meet certain conditions for obtaining a fairground pitch and operating an attraction or a fairground food and refreshments stall.  Compliance with these conditions is verified by the municipality in question.

What are the rules governing fairground operator activities?

All fairground operators in Brussels must be registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises and meet the following conditions:

• Have an identity card;
• Have proof that the company maintains fire and civil liability insurance.

For attractions designed to propel people, powered by non-human energy sources, additional information must be submitted to the local authority at various times.

• When applying for a fairground pitch → documents relating to risk analysis, preventive measures and attraction inspections.
• Before opening the attraction to the public → a document certifying that the attraction installation inspection has been carried out.
• While the attraction is in operation, the operator must be able to →
  • Show that a risk analysis has been carried out;
  • Present the results of this risk analysis and the preventive measures based on it;
  • Show that installation, maintenance and periodic inspections have been carried out correctly.

For fairground food and refreshments vendors, with or without table service, operators must be able to show that the business and the people working there have the required hygiene documents.

What are the rules for pitches?

Here is a series of general provisions for all municipal by-laws in the Brussels-Capital Region concerning the allocation of fairground pitches:

• Pitches are only given to companies registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises;
• Pitches may be occupied by individuals carrying out fairground or mobile food and refreshments activities on behalf of the company;
• The pitches and their specialization are recorded on a plan that anyone can look at. This plan distinguishes between pitches with a subscription and those granted for the duration of the fair;
• Subscriptions are the general rule, while pitches for the duration of the fair are the exception and are aimed at ensuring fairs can upgrade their activities;
• Subscriptions are obtained after three consecutive years of occupancy of a site located in the subscription zone;
• Subscriptions are valid for five years and are rolling contracts;
• Fairground operators may suspend their subscription in the event of temporary physical incapacity, force majeure or clashing fair dates;
• Fairground operators may cancel their subscription in the event of permanent physical incapacity or force majeure;
• Finally, fairground operators can transfer their subscriptions with their attraction or business if they sell their business or stop trading;
• Pitches are awarded on the basis of a vacancy notice and a comparison of applications;
• The comparison criteria are : type of attraction, technical specifications, attractiveness, experience, competence and character of the candidate;
• The price of pitches is set in advance.