Belgium is bracing for significant legal and societal changes starting on January 1, 2025, aimed at adjusting to modern needs and addressing pressing issues such as digital literacy, workforce dynamics, and public health.
One of the most notable initiatives introduced is the Digistart program, established by the Walloon Region. It aims to facilitate the digital transition for Belgian citizens by enhancing their digital skills and making public services more accessible online. This program springs from recent studies indicating around 30% of Belgians lack the necessary digital skills to efficiently interact with online tools. With services increasingly digitized, the ability to navigate these platforms has become indispensable.
The program will allow participants to acquire skills such as safe online browsing, managing digital payment tools, and using public platforms like Tax-on-Web or MyPension. "Digistart contributes to reducing the digital divide and allows for greater social inclusion," stated Mes Aides Financières, emphasizing the initiative's significance.
Joining the Digistart program is straightforward. Citizens over the age of 18 can enroll by visiting the program's official website and filling out their personal information. They then choose the training module best suited to their needs. Fortunately for unemployed individuals registered with Actiris or Forem, the training is entirely free. Even employees of participating employers may have the opportunity to take part as part of their continuing education.
Regarding legal changes affecting workforce regulations, the Belgian government has introduced new policies on vacation days. From now on, employers must check, by the end of each year, if their employees have unused vacation days due to incapacity to work or parental leave. If these conditions are met, employees can carry over their vacation days for the following two years.
Another significant shift is the increase of the legal retirement age to 66 for individuals born on or after January 1, 1960. This change inevitably impacts end-of-career jobs, as many plan to remain employed until reaching this age. Workers are advised to communicate with their local unemployment offices to understand how to manage their career transitions effectively.
On the pension front, Belgium is also tightening access to its minimum guaranteed pension. Starting January 1, 2025, the government will require individuals to have at least 20 years of 'effective work'—which excludes traditional periods of parental leave or incapacity—before qualifying for this pension. This stricter criterion has drawn legal scrutiny, with eight civil society organizations bringing the matter before the Constitutional Court for reconsideration.
Complementarily, the legal guarantee of return on supplementary pensions, known as the second pillar of pensions, will increase from 1.75% to 2.5% as of January 1, 2025, thanks to more favorable outcomes of state bond markets. The change aims to protect the interests of workers investing through their employers or pension funds, ensuring they receive adequate returns upon retirement.
Employers must adapt to these developments as well. Effective January 1, the use of electronic job control cards will become mandatory for temporary unemployment checks. This digitization effort is seen as part of Belgium's broader trend to streamline public services and improve accountability.
Tax policies are also shifting; company cars with gasoline or diesel engines will see their tax deductibility limited to 75%, phasing it out completely by 2028. Electric vehicles ordered before January 1, 2027, will retain full deductibility, signaling the government's push toward greener alternatives.
Lastly, Belgium is acting decisively on health matters by prohibiting the sale of disposable e-cigarettes as of December 31, 2024. This measure aims to mitigate health risks associated with vaping, especially among the youth.
Belgian citizens will undoubtedly feel the far-reaching effects of these changes as they navigate new regulations, financial adjustments, and societal shifts. With initiatives striving for inclusivity, sustainability, and health safety, the future of Belgium appears on the precipice of transformation: one where digital literacy is celebrated, workers are supported, and public health is prioritized.