This was approved following the vote on an amendment by Gitta Vanpeborgh (Vooruit) deleting article 69 from the text. This article aimed to give a legal basis to the government to establish an individual lock in the granting of Inami numbers following the successful completion of studies and the diploma for doctors and dentists. He aroused the ire of the opposition. The Minister of Health had assured, without convincing, that the offending article might only come into force following the adoption of a royal decree. The vast bill, approved at the end of December 2021 in committee, might therefore never be voted on in plenary, with the exception of its “mutual insurance” component approved via the tabling of another bill. In the meantime, negotiations have been opened between the federal government and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
An agreement was finally reached between the two institutions on April 29. Access to medicine and dentistry studies on the French-speaking side will be organized from 2023 on the basis no longer of an entrance examination as currently, but of an admission competition where only a predetermined number of laureates will be able to start these studies.
The conclusion of this agreement therefore allows the bill of the Minister of Health to resume its parliamentary course, purged of its “Inami numbers” section.
“We are leaving behind us a history of 25 years and starting a new chapter”, rejoiced Frank Vandenbroucke.
The majority parties also welcomed this amendment, Patrick Prévot (PS) referring in particular to a good “Belgian compromise”. “A proper functioning of our federal system”, added Daniel Bacquelaine (MR), recalling having “always pleaded for a competitive examination”. The draft decree should be tabled with the government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation by May 25, added MP MR, from the same party as Minister of Higher Education Valérie Glatigny. The latter confirmed on Twitter that the legislative work had already begun. “We will meet our commitments,” she added.
Catherine Fonck (Les Engagés) ironically tabled an identical amendment, recalling with Sophie Rohonyi (DéFI) that the French-speaking opposition had already done so during the first examination of the text in committee.
The N-VA and Vlaams Belang did not approve of Vooruit’s amendment, once more criticizing what they consider to be a “general pardon” for French speakers.
The bill was eventually approved by the Vivaldi majority, with the opposition abstaining. This vast text of nearly 100 pages contains numerous provisions: relating to the operation of the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP), the exercise of health care professions, continuing education for professionals health in the context of the coronavirus crisis. The draft also proposes to abolish the government’s competence to determine the health services for which third-party payment applies as well as an increase of 25,000 euros in the subsidy to the patient organization RadiOrg for rare diseases.
The bill will be put on the agenda for Thursday’s plenary session.