Belgium: Labour law changes in new government deal

Belgium’s new centre-right coalition government is promising a package of labour reforms to boost employer competitiveness despite union opposition and budget constraints.

Key Points: Belgium has a new government with a centre-right agenda focused on making Belgian employers competitive and flexible again. Major changes in labour and employment law are promised.

Why This Matters: The measures are aimed at improving the competitiveness of Belgian employers, any changes will likely impact such aspects of employment law as dismissal rules, collective bargaining and working time.

What Happens Next: Further details on the proposed changes and their impact will become available in the coming months. In the meantime, our friends in Claeys & Engels have put together a guide to proposed changes in labour and employment law. You can read it in English here, though it is also available in Dutch and French. Founding partner, Chris Engels says: 

“This is a vast and ambitious plan with a lot of measures to be taken in a difficult context of strict European budgetary constraints and structurally planned trade union actions.  It is aimed at making Belgian employers competitive and flexible again.”