As we enter this rather warm month of August, many of our readers will be holidaying away and taking a well-deserved rest.
Yet back in Belgium, new measures and laws come into place from the start of each month – even if August usually reserves fewer changes than average.
The changes and how they will impact people can be found here.
Higher excise duties on natural gas and heating oil
Excise duties on natural gas and heating oil will increase from the first of the month, whilst those on electricity will decrease. These are indirect taxes levied per litre of heating oil or per kilowatt-hour of electricity and gas.
The new rates are intended to curb the consumption of gas and heating oil, whilst promoting the use of more environmentally friendly electricity. The Federal Government is encouraging Belgian residents to reduce their consumption of fossil fuels.
In practical terms, the gas bill for an average household heated by natural gas (consumption of 17 MWh, Ed.) will increase by €18.17 per year. Thanks to the reduction in excise duties on electricity, the same household will pay an average of €12.64 less for its electricity (3.5 MWh).
In total, the overall energy bill will therefore increase by around €5.5 per year. From 2027, excise duties on diesel and petrol are also expected to rise.
Week’s notice if contract terminated during the first six months
From 1 August, employers and employees will be able to terminate an employment contract during the first six months of employment, subject to one week’s notice.
Until now, for existing contracts, the notice period has applied for the first three months and increases to five weeks after six months.
The reform aims to promote youth employment by removing a barrier for employers, but also to reduce the succession of fixed-term contracts, which are sometimes preceded by temporary agency work for many young workers.
Many unions and social actors have criticised what they say is the return of a probationary period, which had been abolished in 2014.
Fines for anti-social behaviour in Brussels city centre
The City of Brussels municipality is raising its fines on anti-social behaviour, due to rising costs in waste management.
Fly-tipping, where residents dump unwanted rubbish (often furniture and other large items) on the side of the street, will be fined at €1,000 per cubic metre, up from 500. The fine for hazardous and construction waste will rise from €1,000 to €2,000 per cubic metre.
Unauthorised rubbish bags left on public roads will be penalised at €400 per bag, compared with €150 at present. Bags or cardboard boxes placed out outside authorised times will incur a tax of €200 per bag or per cubic metre.
Illegal graffiti will be subject to a fine of €1,000 per square metre, up from the current €500. Finally, the fine for anyone caught urinating in a public place will rise from €250 to €400.
Video appointments for speech therapists
Speech and language therapists will be able to offer video consultations starting August 1, 2026. This measure follows the same measures for doctors, physical therapists, and midwives.
However, the first appointment between the speech-language therapist and the patient must always take place in person.
The aim is for speech-language therapists and their patients to now also schedule appointments with greater flexibility.
