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Anyone who buys a new car pays an environmental contribution of 10 euros. If you buy a new car or van you will have to pay an environmental contribution from January 1st. D
This will cover future recycling, argues Febelauto.
In most municipalities, organic waste is no longer allowed in residual waste bags. Separate collection of organic waste will be mandatory in most Flemish municipalities and in Brussels. From then on, organic waste is no longer allowed in the residual waste bag. Since some Flemish municipalities were not ready in time, the obligation there has been canceled for the time being.
In the event of natural disasters, the insurance can cover up to 1.6 billion euros. The upper limit for the insurance industry’s intervention in natural disasters will be more than quadrupled and set at 1.6 billion euros. The reason for this was the floods in July 2021, in which 39 people died.
Chaudfontaine was badly affected by the Vesdre floods. — © Fred Debrock
Shipping has to pay for the emissions. From January 1st, the maritime sector will join the Emissions Trading System (ETS), the European system in which emitters have to pay emissions allowances. For now, only large ships are subject to the new measure.
Work
Long-term illness? Three mandatory doctor visits. Sick employees and self-employed people are more closely monitored by health insurance companies. In the first year after dropping out of their studies, they have to report in person to the statutory health insurance doctor three times. Even after twelve months – when you are officially considered “long-term ill” – checks are still mandatory.
Paper eco-checks are no longer valid. They must be used up by December 31st of this year at the latest. Although employers have only been issuing digital eco-checks for two years, the paper checks could still be used until the end of 2023.
Artists receive better social security. From January 1, 2024, artists can be recognized with a job certificate and thus enjoy full social protection.
About 65,000 federal employees will receive meal vouchers starting in 2024. The face value of the voucher is set at 6 euros, reports the Federal Government’s Policy and Support Service.
Worries
Patients no longer have to pay for scheduled transport between hospitals. Hospital patients who are transported to another hospital for an operation or treatment will no longer receive a (horrendous) bill for this. The price could be up to 1,600 euros.
Less money for clinical laboratories: Reimbursement for clinical laboratories will be reduced by 15 percent starting January 1st. This will free up 223 million euros. Minister Frank Vandenbroucke wants to use this to finance further reforms in the healthcare system, such as equalizing doctors’ salaries.
Around fifty medications for children with cancer are reimbursed. About fifty off-label medications for children with cancer will now be reimbursed.
Automatic allocation of the European Disability Card. From 2024, people with disabilities will automatically receive a European Disability Card (EDC). With the card you are entitled to certain discounts in the areas of leisure, sport or culture in Belgium, but also in some other European countries.
New way for people with diabetes. From January 1st of each year, diabetes patients can take part in free diabetes education four times and see a nutritionist twice for free. The new start-up program is open to all people with diabetes (type 2 diagnosis) who are not in a specialized program.
Reimbursement for cochlear implants for children and adolescents is increasing. From January 1st, cochlear implants for deaf or hearing-impaired children and young people will be reimbursed. Such an implant normally costs 15,000 euros.
Education and youth
Mandatory internship for doctoral students in orthopedics and clinical psychology. Clinical psychology and orthopedics students who will graduate from January 2024 must complete an additional internship in order to be able to carry out therapy.
Paratrooper training no longer required. The Special Forces Group (SFG), the Belgian army’s elite unit, will begin direct recruitment of civilians in January 2024. The new “Fast Track” procedure breaks with the tradition that soldiers had to complete para-commando training before joining the unit.
5,000 new places in childcare. With the 270 million released by the Flemish government for the childcare sector in the September declaration, 5,000 new places must be added by 2024.
Young people and children can see a psychologist free of charge. For young people up to the age of 23, an appointment with a psychologist in primary care is free from February 1st. The psychologist must be connected to the system and therefore conventionalized. So far, only 25 percent of psychologists and educational psychologists in our country are (partially) conventionalized.
VDAB starts training for young people without a qualification. In these training occupations you can gain experience and acquire a professional qualification. At the end of the process, the young person completes an EVC (Recognition of Acquired Competencies) test. If the exam is passed, a professional qualification is acquired.
Taxes and energy
You no longer have to install solar panels alone. From January 1st, twelve “rapid teams” must support citizens, companies, schools and other organizations in installing solar systems that they do not need themselves, but for which the energy generated can be redistributed.
Door-to-door sales of energy contracts have been revised. “We think this is unfair customer acquisition,” says Federal Economics Minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne, who submitted the proposal. The offer can only be subject to change. In addition, there will be a mandatory cooling-off period of at least three days before the contract can be concluded.
Monthly energy bill required. All providers must make it clear to their customers what they consume each month based on the energy consumption measured by the digital meter.
Multinational companies now have to pay a minimum tax in our country. The proceeds from this measure are estimated at 634 million euros in 2024. The minimum tax ensures that every large company with a turnover of at least 750 million euros will have to pay at least 15 percent corporate tax from 2024. This makes Belgium one of the first countries to enshrine the global minimum tax in its national law.
transport
De Lijn eliminates around one in six bus stops. A quarter of the remaining stops are not served regularly. The “renewal plan” must lead to “basic accessibility” and will come into force on January 6th. In one fell swoop, 3,247 existing bus stops will be deleted.
The garage owner must explain what he did. The car pass becomes a digital maintenance certificate. It contains further information, including a description of the work carried out. The garage owner must therefore provide information about the work carried out on the passport.
Rides on the blue bike will be slightly more expensive. — © Neil Fraser
Trucks have to pay tolls on more roads. As of January 1, the part of the Flemish road network where the kilometer charge applies to trucks will be expanded by 686 kilometers, an increase of almost 40 percent.
Trips with a Blue Bike will be one euro more expensive as compensation from the Flemish government will no longer apply. The price increases from 1.5 to 2.5 euros for the first 24 hours.
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