Belgium’s recovery and resilience – Supported projects: Reforms

Disclaimer: This page exclusively serves information purposes and is not an exhaustive database of projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Notably, the map provides a snapshot of projects based on the current status of their implementation. It does not reflect the distribution of the projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility across the different entities within Belgium. The map will be regularly updated to include additional projects and information. The showcase of the projects in this page is without prejudice to any future assessment by the Commission in the context of the verification of the satisfactory fulfilment of milestones and targets pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

The measure references mentioned below are those contained in the Annex to the Council Implementing Decision on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Belgium and allow for easy identification of the measures.

For more info on the projects, please contact the Commission’s representation: Sara Soumillion (sara [dot] soumillionec [dot] europa [dot] eu (sara[dot]soumillion[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu))

 

‘Introduction of 5G – National fixed and mobile broadband plan’ – federal and regional level

(reference R-2.03 in the Belgian Recovery and Resilience Plan)

To make high-speed internet as widely available as possible, this reform focuses on:

• adopting a federal legislative framework to allow for the organisation of auctions for the 5G spectrum.
•  revising regional radiation standards to allow for the deployment of 5G.
•  implementing best practices for reducing costs of deployment and simplifying licensing and permitting procedures for the rollout of 5G and very high-capacity networks, such as fiber.

The federal legislative framework was put into place and the auctions completed. A plan and a status report have been published on the implementation of the best practices.

More information can be found on the project webpage here.

 

‘Zero-emission company cars’ of the Federal State

(reference R-3.03 in the Belgian Recovery and Resilience Plan)

As of 2026, Belgium will be phasing-out conventional cars from the existing company car tax scheme, which benefits a large number of cars running every day on Belgian roads.

This reform is expected to foster the uptake of electric vehicles and reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses and air pollutants.

The reform was approved in 2021, started taking effect on 1 January 2023 and will progressively make the fiscal treatment of company cars greener.

More information can be found on the project webpage here.

 

‘Learning account’ of the Federal State

(reference R-5.03 in the Belgian Recovery and Resilience Plan)

The ‘Learning account’ reform:

• grants an individual right to five training days per year to each employee in Belgium.
• introduces tax advantages for companies to incentivise them to provide more training hours to their employees.
• will improve collaboration between the National Employment Office (ONEM) and the employment services in the regions. This will contribute to the training and reintegration into the job market of around 25,000 unemployed workers.

All the measures covered by the reform are expected to be implemented at the latest by 31 December 2023. The individual training rights and tax advantages have already been approved by parliament.

More information can be found on the project webpage here.