The Federal Pensions Service (SFP) has denied requesting the government to delay its pension reform, while Minister Jan Jambon insists the reform will proceed as scheduled.
The SFP clarified that the document referenced is an internal note meant for the management committee, which includes social partners, SFP leaders, the minister’s office, and the inter-ministerial working group.
The document aims to address challenges and practical implementation of the proposed measures. They emphasised that it is an evolving document tied to the legislative process.
The SFP underlined its role in providing technical analyses and operational information to support political decision-making.
The note discusses phased implementation of the measures—some set for 2026, others for 2027—and gradual updates to the mypension.be platform. They stressed the complexity of the reform, which affects multiple pension systems and requires a substantial communication effort with citizens.
The minister’s office has confirmed that the schedule remains unchanged. It stated their commitment to the plan and announced regular evaluations in the coming months to monitor the gradual implementation and public communication through mypension.be.
The newspaper L’Echo reported on Friday that an internal SFP report warned of operational, particularly IT-related, challenges in implementing the reform by 1 January 2026, suggesting the deadline might not be feasible.
Opposition parties have criticised the reform. The Socialist Party (PS) warned of both social and administrative "chaos" resulting from the changes.
PS MP and former Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder argued that the reform is not ready and would create significant insecurity for workers.
"This reform will impose a heavy cost on those who have already worked hard all their lives. Imagine a construction worker, worn out at 62 or 63—tomorrow, they’ll lose €300 to €400 a month in pension. This is unacceptable," she said, calling on the government to abandon the reform entirely.
