Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Belgium’s Summer Agreement includes pension reform, higher tax-free income to €15,300 by 2029, new night work rules, merged Brussels police zones, and labor changes led by Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
As VRT News reports, Last night, July 20, 2025, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced a new Summer Agreement with big changes to pensions, taxes, work rules, healthcare, and public safety. He said the speed of these changes is unlike anything Belgium has seen this century.
The government made these reforms in just 6 months. Some of the main points include changes to the pension and tax systems, as well as a new law in healthcare that will limit the extra fees doctors can charge, especially in private hospitals. Another change is the merging of the 6 police zones in Brussels into one single zone.
These new steps follow earlier changes made in the Easter Agreement, such as a temporary limit on unemployment benefits. Prime Minister De Wever said this is only the beginning and that more work will come after the summer, including preparing the budget for the year 2026.
What changes are coming in Belgium’s summer deal?
According to officials, a key part of the Summer Agreement is about making the job market more flexible. The rules for night work are changing. Right now, night work is between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., but in the future, only work between midnight and 5 a.m. will get extra night pay. They mentioned that it will only apply to new job contracts, so people already working night shifts will keep their current pay.
The government also wants to make overtime more appealing. It will provide tax benefits and make it easier for workers to earn more through overtime. Another rule that will change is the one that says part-time workers must work at least one-third of full-time hours. That rule will be removed.
But unions are worried. They think this might lead to people only getting a few hours of work each week and having less job security. These changes are a big step in Belgium’s job policies, but they will also start new debates and discussions in the coming months.
The Belgian government is making big changes to the pension system as part of the new Summer Agreement. They mentioned that one of the main goals is to make civil servant pensions more equal to those of private workers and people who are self-employed. A big change will affect NMBS/SNCB railway staff and military workers, who can now retire at age 55 or 56. Their retirement age will slowly go up to match the legal retirement age for everyone else.
Another change is how pensions are calculated for permanent civil servants. Right now, their pension is based on their salary from the last 10 years of work, which are usually their highest-paid years. That method will change slowly over time.
From now until 2062, the calculation will move toward using the average of 45 working years, which is already used for employees and the self-employed. Pensions Minister Jan Jambon from the N-VA party says these changes are needed to keep the pension system strong and affordable in the future.
The Belgian government plans to cut taxes by 2029. People who work will save about 100 euros more each month. The tax-free income will go up from €10,910 to €15,300. workers will pay less tax. The Special Social Security Contribution will also be lowered. Single people will save up to €365 a year. Families with children will get higher tax-free amounts. The allowance for one child will rise from €1,980 to €2,650. Each child will count the same in the future.
Families with many children may get less than before. Children with disabilities will still count as double. Self-employed people will get a new tax break. It will be worth €650 in 2027 and €900 in 2029. Pensioners will be allowed to earn more. People with low wages will get a bigger bonus for working. These changes aim to help workers, families, and small business owners.
