Belgium's Constitutional Court has rejected the request to suspend transition measures related to the unemployment reform.
The ruling was published on Wednesday, following a case initiated late last year by three labour unions (ABVV, ACV, ACLVB) and several civil society organisations. They argued the reform was "rushed and unfair" and violated Belgium’s fundamental commitments.
The court concluded that no claimant, whether an organisation or individual, sufficiently demonstrated that the immediate implementation of the reform would cause them serious and irreparable harm. This failure to meet a key condition for suspension led to the dismissal of the request.
The unions and organisations had sought to stop the transition measures introduced this month via a suspension of Chapter 1, Title 5 of the Programme Law dated 18 July 2025. They have also requested the annulment of the reform, but the court has yet to rule on that matter.
The De Wever government approved the unemployment reform last year. Under the new rules, unemployment benefits are now limited to a maximum duration of two years. Starting this month, the first affected individuals have begun losing their allowances.
The transition measures targeted in the case apply to individuals already receiving unemployment benefits.
In recent months, Belgium’s National Employment Office (RVA) sent tens of thousands of letters to unemployed people notifying them they would lose their benefits. In Flanders alone, nearly 28,000 jobseekers will be affected in the first six months.
The case received support from several organisations, including the Belgian Anti-Poverty Network (BAPN), Collectif Solidarité Contre l’Exclusion, Hart boven hard, Ligue des familles, Solidaris (a socialist health insurance fund), Vie Féminine, Soralia, Femma, Furia, ABVV Jongeren, Jong ACV, Freezbe (ACLVB Youth), and SAAMO.
