2023-07-01 05:00:00
Proximus tariffs will experience a further increase from 1 July, for the second time this year. The telecommunications operator justifies this increase by the strong upward curve of inflation.
Concretely, the Flex packs including a TV subscription will cost an additional three euros per month, an increase of 4% on average, depending on the composition. The “Internet Maxi” and “Internet Maxi Fiber” offers will cost one euro more per month, an increase of 2%. On the mobile side, the “Mobilus M” and “Mobilus Maxi” subscriptions will undergo respective increases of three and five euros. However, these will be accompanied by an increase in the volume of data. If the subscription is included in a pack, the price will not change. Finally, with regard to fixed telephony, the “Free Calls National” formula will cost one euro more, while communications will drop from 88 cents to 1 euro during the week during the day (between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.).
Maestro cards will gradually disappear
The approximately 10 million Maestro debit cards in circulation in Belgium will gradually disappear from July 1. They will give way to a new debit card that will better respond to new e-commerce practices.
Maestro, whose brand was established in 1991, was developed for physical stores and not designed for the digital age. The issuing company Mastercard has therefore decided to replace all Maestro cards in Europe with a new one, the Debit Mastercard, offering more online payment facilities. It will also be more widely accepted abroad while Maestro was barely present outside the Old Continent. Acceptance of the new card is twice as wide as that of Maestro cards, reaching more than 100 million points of sale worldwide, both online and in physical stores, according to the company. As of July 1, the new Mastercard debit cards and the cards to be renewed or replaced will be Debit Mastercard. For existing and still valid Maestro cards, the change will be gradual and will take a maximum of 5 years, which is the life cycle of a debit card. The customer cards of the main Belgian banks (Argenta, Banque van Breda, Beobank, Belfius, BNPP Fortis, ING, KBC-CBC, Santander Consumer Finance, Nagelmackers, etc.) will gradually be replaced. Other banks, working in particular with Visa, competitor of Mastercard, are not concerned. Mastercard is also making this change elsewhere in Europe where its Maestro brand was present, such as Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland… In total, 100 million cards still need to be replaced.
Gradual end of tax benefits for petrol and diesel company cars
The tax deductibility for new company cars fitted with a combustion engine will be phased out from 1 July. With this measure, the federal government wants to accelerate the “greening” of the vehicle fleet.
Only company cars without CO2 emissions (electric or hydrogen) remain 100% deductible until January 1, 2027, following which this deduction will also be phased out. The current tax deduction regime continues to apply for petrol and diesel company cars acquired before July 1, 2023. For fossil fuel passenger cars (petrol, diesel, LPG or CNG) purchased between July 1 and 31 December 2025, the deductibility will be phased out. The CO2 contribution will also increase for company cars purchased following July 1, 2023. The amount of this increase depends on the type of fuel and the CO2 emissions of the vehicle.
End of extended social tariff for at least half a million customers
From July 1, the extended social tariff for energy will end and commercial energy tariffs will therefore once more be charged to at least half a million customers.
The social tariff had been extended in 2021, due to the coronavirus crisis. It is intended for certain categories of precarious households, such as people benefiting from a social integration income or a disability allowance. The tariff extension also applies to those who benefit from an increased contribution for health care, such as people with low incomes. From July 1, the extended social tariff will be abolished, leading to the return to “classic” commercial energy tariffs for around 300,000 customers for gas and 500,000 customers for electricity, according to estimates by the Creg, the federal regulator Energy. Suppliers will however be required to apply the cheapest tariff for a period of three months from July 1, specifies the Creg.
Increase in the minimum pension and a whole series of allowances
The basic amounts of the integration income, the Grapa (income guarantee for the elderly), an allowance intended for people over 65 in need, and the income replacement allowance granted to people with disabilities (ARR) will be increased by 2%. The minimum pension will also be up on July 1, by +2%, said the office of Minister Karine Lalieux. This corresponds to an increase of 32.74 euros gross per month for a single person and 40.91 euros for a household pension.
More specifically, invalidity pensions for miners will increase by 2.5%. The fully unemployed will also see their minimum allowances increase: by 1.3% (regardless of family situation), i.e. an increase of 21.45 euros gross per month for heads of household and 17.38 euros for single persons, according to CSC calculations. Minimum allowances for temporary unemployment will be increased by 3.5%. Allowances for parental leave will also increase: thus single parents who take care of a child will see their allowances increase by 1.2%, as will those who benefit from a 1/5th time credit for taking care of a child. . The minimum allowances in the context of accidents at work and occupational diseases will increase by 2%. Finally, the minima for health and disability insurance (AMI) will be increased as follows: +2.5% for regular workers who are heads of households and +2% for all other categories (isolated, cohabiting regular workers, irregular workers) .
Launch of a foreign investment control mechanism
As of July 1, an Interfederal Screening Committee (CFI), aimed at establishing a mechanism for screening foreign direct investment, will be operational. Its main mission will be to analyze foreign direct investments and assess whether they pose potential risks to national security and the country’s strategic interests. It will thus be able to identify potential threats and take preventive measures to protect sensitive national sectors (critical infrastructure, advanced technology, raw materials, energy and defence).
The CFI is a representative entity that brings together all the federated entities of the country alongside the federal state. It will analyze investments made by a natural or legal person having their main residence or registered office outside the European Union. And it will also assess the investments made by any company, European or not, of which one of the beneficial owners has their main residence outside the European Union. The procedure should not exceed two to three months. All foreign investments which make it possible to acquire, directly or indirectly, a certain percentage of the voting rights in companies established in Belgium and whose activities are linked to sensitive sectors, must be notified. The objective is to promote the economic development of the country, while avoiding subjecting the Belgian economy to geopolitical dependencies that might affect it negatively.
Importation of puppies and kittens for sale prohibited in Wallonia
From July 1, the import of puppies and kittens for sale will be prohibited in Wallonia. The measure is part of a broader plan – adopted in November 2022 and partly entered into force last March – aimed at strengthening the legislative framework for establishments for animals, such as businesses, shelters, dog farms and cats, as well as pensions. Certain standards governing them had become obsolete “in view of societal, scientific but also ethical developments in recent years”, according to the Walloon Minister of Animal Welfare, Céline Tellier. The ban on the importation of pets concerns no less than 6,000 puppies per year, according to the regional elected official. These puppies imported from abroad were “too often raised and transported in deplorable conditions for their health. From now on, these puppies will be raised by our Walloon breeders in good conditions”, argues the environmental minister. The prohibition measure also targets kittens, even if currently “to our knowledge no breeder imports kittens”, underlines the cabinet of the minister. From January 1, 2026, training will be mandatory for managers of animal establishments, or at least one member of their staff. Finally, from January 1, 2028, the minimum accommodation standards will be increased, up to doubling the minimum areas for dogs and cats.
Blood donation: the exclusion period reduced to 4 months for homosexuals
The exclusion period before being able to donate blood will increase, for men who have sex with men (MSM), from 12 months following the last sexual intercourse to 4 months.
The exclusion period is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the patient who will receive the blood. According to scientific data, figures show that men who have sex with men (MSM) are at an increased risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The Red Cross estimates, for its part, that the reduction of the period of abstinence from 12 to 4 months will generate additional costs in terms of finances and personnel. The analyzes of blood samples will in particular have to switch to individual genomic screening (ID-NAT). “Currently we analyze the samples in groups of eight, if a reaction takes place, we proceed to the individual test. With this change in deadline, we will have to systematically test each sample individually, which will multiply the analysis costs by eight” , warns the body.
Antibiotic treatments and chemotherapy soon possible at home
From July 1, patients will have the option of receiving chemotherapy or long-term intravenous antibiotic treatment at home. The objective is to avoid trips to the hospital, while improving the comfort of patients.
Care may be provided in patients’ homes but also in nursing homes, convalescent homes or establishments for the disabled. In concrete terms, two forms of treatment will be available: chemotherapy and long-term intravenous antibiotic treatment. As soon as the treatment has been administered twice in hospital, patients may choose to continue this treatment at home, with the agreement of the attending physician-specialist and in close consultation with the general practitioner. The hospital care team will coordinate home hospitalization. The number of people affected by this measure is estimated at 2,603 for chemotherapy and 918 for antibiotic treatment, according to statistics provided by the office of Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke.
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