1Gas and electricity
Measure expected by many Belgians: VAT on gas and electricity will drop, from 1 April, from 21% to 6%, in accordance with the agreement of the federal government.
The measure will be in effect until September 30. The feds have already promised a reassessment and possible extension following that date if market prices remain high. Suppliers already have to reduce the VAT on the monthly installment invoice.
The introduction of a single automatic reduction on the bill of 200 euros per home for all households that heat with oil or propane/butane gas is also planned, with retroactive effect from 1 January.
The extended social tariff, which benefits one million of the most vulnerable households, is also extended until September 30.
2Reduced VAT
The federal government has also decided to reduce VAT to 6% for the purchase and installation of solar panels, heat pumps and solar boilers.
This reduced rate already exists for houses over ten years old. From April 1 to December 31, 2023, it will also apply to housing less than ten years old, including newly built housing and housing rebuilt following demolition.
Remember that the federal government recently decided to release 1.16 billion euros to reduce energy dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to sustainable energies.
3Revenu minimum
The minimum wage will increase by 76.28 euros (excluding indexation) from April 1. This is the first step in the four-phase minimum wage increase negotiated between the Group of Ten social partners.
In two later phases (January 2024 and 2026), 35 euros gross will be added each time. It was in fact a question of an increase bringing the guaranteed average monthly minimum income (RMMMG) to 1,700 euros per month during the first phase. The amount will ultimately be higher due to the various indexations, since the pivot index has been exceeded three times since the date of signature of this agreement. Consequently, it will be 100 euros higher than expected and will stand at 1,806.16 euros.
4Salaries of civil servants
Public sector wages will increase by 2% in April due to the overshoot of the central index in February.
The month following this excess, allowances and pensions are indexed by 2% in order to adapt them to the cost of living. Salaries for civil servants follow a month later.
This is the second time this year that the salaries of civil servants have been indexed. This had also happened in February following the overshoot of the central index in December.
According to the Planning Office, a third overshoot of the central index is possible this year.
5VOO: rising prices
The Walloon telecom operator will increase some of its prices from April 1 in order to adapt to the acceleration of inflation. These price increases will fluctuate between 1 and 2.50 euros per month.
In all, 35 rates will be increased.
6Boarding tax
The tax on boarding an airplane will also come into force within a few days. The goal? Encourage alternatives such as the train, instead of hop-on hop flights.
This tax, which concerns all the country’s airports, will be 10 euros for a passenger whose destination is not located more than 500 km as the crow flies from the busiest Belgian airport in the country (Brussels Airport at Zaventem). It will also be two euros for a passenger whose destination is further away, but located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom or Switzerland, and four euros for a “long-haul” passenger, whose destination is more than 500 km away and located outside these different European countries.
7Stations-service
Service station owners will now have to put up a poster showing the average cost per 100 kilometres.
This new obligation applies to service station owners who offer at least three types of fuel among the following: petrol 95, diesel, LPG, electricity, hydrogen and CNG.
The poster must be updated quarterly and affixed in a clearly visible place at the pumps as well as in the stores of the service stations.
It was the European Union that initiated this measure aimed at better informing consumers regarding the prices of different types of fuel.