Belgian government delays decision on energy support

The Belgian federal government has postponed a decision on new energy support measures, saying more time is needed to work out the technical details.

Ministers had earlier agreed, before the Easter break, to use extra tax income from high energy prices to help two groups: vulnerable households using fossil fuels for heating, and people who rely on their car to get to work. The support would be temporary and end automatically.

However, no final agreement was reached on Friday.

Georges-Louis Bouchez, leader of the MR party, had demanded a decision by Friday and warned he would block further government work if no deal was made. After the delay, he followed through on that threat, saying his party will now halt progress on other government matters until energy support is agreed.

Bouchez criticised the delay, arguing the cost of fuel support would be relatively small compared to the overall budget. He also accused other ministers of stalling for time.

Calls for action have also come from other parties, including CD&V and Vooruit, but officials say more time is needed to finalise the measures.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has warned against broad energy support schemes. It said such measures, widely used during the 2022 energy crisis, were a “costly mistake” because most benefits went to higher-income households. The IMF urged governments to focus on targeted, temporary support instead, warning that blanket subsidies can weaken incentives to save energy and move towards greener alternatives.

^{© BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND}