Belgium Repeals the Vandervelde Law

On December 28, 1983, Belgium repealed and replaced the Vandervelde Law, formally ending the alcohol regime introduced on August 29, 1919. Promoted by Minister of Justice Émile Vandervelde as a measure against alcoholism, the earlier law had prohibited the sale of spirits for consumption in bars and other public establishments while leaving fermented drinks such as beer available. The restriction had encouraged demand for stronger Belgian beers as alternatives to spirits, although strong beer traditions already existed before 1919. After more than six decades, the Vandervelde Law was replaced by new legislation regulating licenses for the sale of spirits, ending the specific prohibition that had shaped Belgian drinking culture since the aftermath of the First World War.