Background information

Wholesale markets have seen a sharp rise in electricity and natural gas prices in recent months. Energy suppliers are passing those higher prices on to those who have variable energy contracts or are signing new energy contracts.

To reduce the impact on households, the government implemented a new measure on 16 September 2022 called 'the basic energy package.' The measure provides funds for a portion of the energy bills from November and December 2022.

Content of measure

All households with a variable energy contract (or a fixed contract taken out or renewed after 1 October 2021) will receive a discount on their gas bill (€135 per month) and electricity bill (€61 per month) for November and December 2022. There are income conditions attached to this measure:

• The discount will be granted, but recovered through taxes in the future for people with high incomes.
• The measure does also not apply to those already entitled to a social tariff. Their energy prices are already compensated by the government.

The maximum income that applies in order to be eligible is €62,000 net taxable income for a single person, and €125,000 for couples (excluding people that are eligible for a social tariff).

The government intends to use a portion of the additional profits made by energy companies to partially fund the measure.

Use of measure

Currently there is no data on how many eligible households have been impacted by this measure.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

It is unknown to what extent social partners were involved or informed in this measure.

Views and reactions

A public statement on the general (crisis) situation was made by trade unions and other civil society organisations, it seems that they are proponents of some form of basic energy package. Their opinion on the concrete version proposed by the government has not been made public.

Sources

• 16 September 2022: Maatregelen van de overheid naar aanleiding van de hoge energieprijzen (www.vlaanderen.<be)
• 16 September 2022: https://www.tijd.be/opinie/algemeen/trotseren-we-de-komende-winter-eensgezind-of-niet/10413976.html (www.tijd.be)
• 23 December 2022: Wet houdende toekenning van een tweede federale elektriciteits- en gaspremie (www.ejustice.just.fgov.be)