Pension Reform to Impact Belgian Civil Servants’ Early Retirement
The Belgian federal government is set to implement changes to early retirement for civil servants, extending the age at which they can retire while introducing exemptions for specific professions, according to a memo reviewed by De Tijd. The comprehensive pension reform aims to standardize statutory pensions and align civil servants more closely with the rules governing employees and the self-employed. This adjustment follows a recent agreement reached earlier this week, targeting early retirement regulations.
Under the new agreement, civil servants will no longer have the option to retire early ahead of other groups such as employees and the self-employed, though certain large sectors will remain exempt from these new rules.
The coalition government’s previous agreement already noted the intent to phase out the favorable retirement terms for civil servants, which previously allowed retirement after 40 years of service rather than 42. This is reiterated in the recent summer agreement.
Essential personnel, including pilots, air traffic controllers, police officers, firefighters, and teachers, will remain exempt from these changes—with the exception of higher education staff. Starting in 2032, these groups will be able to retire early after 41 years of service, and military personnel will have a system in place for additional years of service under certain conditions.
For comprehensive details on the impacts of this reform, reports 24brussels.
