What the eye doesn’t see

Date: 21/11/1996

Could it be that fear of the paparazzi is behind Belgium's bizarre refusal to allow foreign photographers to take aerial pictures over Belgian territory?

If so, the Commission is putting its own best interests to one side in telling the country to end this restriction or face European Court action. In the jargon, restrictions on aerial photography violate EU rules on the freedom to provide services and the freedom of establishment. Or, to put it another way, they infringe the freedom to take aerial photography.

Belgium now has to give a “satisfactory response” to the Commission's “reasoned opinion” on why companies or aircraft based in other member states cannot over-fly Belgium taking pictures.

Capitulation by the Belgians will be seen as a Paparazzi Charter, a licence to zoom in from 10,000 metres and take pictures of MEPs' offices or even Jacques Santer getting food poisoning in the Breydel canteen.