The Federal Government has announced key measures under its Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) plan, including tax simplifications and reforms to support self-employed workers.
The VAT exemption threshold will gradually increase from €25,000 to €30,000 by 2031, as part of the measures.
Administrative requirements will be simplified, scrapping the need for liberal professions to keep receipt books and financial journals.
However, receipt issuance requirements will remain for medical and paramedical professions.
The self-employed student status is being reformed to make it more accessible.
Created in 2017 to encourage self-employment among young people, this status allows self-employed students to benefit from a favourable tax regime as long as their income remains below a certain threshold.
Some reporting requirements are being eliminated, as well as the 25-year age limit.
Simonet stressed the importance of these reforms, saying, "The status is attractive, with 10,700 students benefiting today. We needed to modernise it, make it more flexible, and remove unnecessary bureaucracy. These students are the entrepreneurs of tomorrow."
The updated status will take effect on 1 October 2026.
The rate of the Supplementary Pension Plan for the Self-Employed (PLCI) will be increased, and the scheme will be open to self-employed individuals with supplementary income who pay contributions. This measure will be retroactive to 1 January 2026.
The government has allocated funds to increase allowances for the most vulnerable groups, particularly people with disabilities, the sick, and those who are incapacitated.
This will notably allow for raising incapacity and disability benefits for the self-employed to bring them in line with those of salaried employees, according to the government.
