The Council of Ministers approved a series of measures on Friday to replace the postal money summon system, used for certain payments like pensions, with circular cheques.
Due to the transfer of “account 679” management from Bpost to BNP Paribas Fortis, the postal company will no longer be able to process payments via postal money orders from 1 January 2026.
The federal government has decided that, starting next year, circular cheques will become the standard payment method for all transactions previously handled by postal money orders, particularly those managed by the Directorate-General for the Disabled Persons and the Federal Pension Service, once the contract with Bpost ends.
The government also instructed the FPS Finance to negotiate an agreement with BNP Paribas Fortis to develop this alternative payment system involving circular cheques.
The office of Vanessa Matz, Minister for Public Action and Modernisation, stated that circular cheques provide a concrete and free cash alternative for the most vulnerable, especially those without banking services or who are isolated. Beneficiaries will not be charged for circular cheques or prepaid cards, clarified the office on Tuesday.
A year ago, around 16,000 people were still using postal money orders. Since then, the FPS Finance has conducted a major campaign to encourage those who can to switch to bank transfers, according to Matz’s office. Following this campaign, about 10,000 individuals remained. It is estimated that 1,000 to 3,000 people, including those with disabilities or over 80 years old, face genuine challenges in transitioning to bank transfers.
