‘Dignity and respect’: Flanders plans reform of rules around funeral services
The Flemish government is planning a comprehensive reform of the rules governing cemeteries and funeral services. The intention is to make prices more transparent and put an end to commercial activities surrounding the bodies of the deceased.
Cemeteries and funeral services, from care to transport and the final resting place of a body, are managed by the region. The current regulations date from 2004 and require updating.
A number of recent incidents have highlighted the need for adjustments. These include arrangements whereby staff at care homes receive payments from funeral directors in exchange for collecting a body, and funeral directors receiving a discount from crematoria for delivering multiple bodies.
The aim is to put a stop to this. The new rules are based on respect for the deceased and for the wishes of their families. Stricter monitoring will be introduced to ensure that no commercial activities take place involving the body or ashes of the deceased.
“The body of the deceased must be treated with dignity and respect, and it must under no circumstances be the subject of commercial activity,” said Home Affairs minister Hilde Crevits.
“These matters all seem obvious, but recent reports of backroom deals, illegal mortuaries and volume discounts show there is a need for new, clear and enforceable rules for all parties within the funeral sector.”
The new decree will contain clear rules on transparency of costs, to ensure bereaved families know exactly what they will be charged.
"The body of the deceased must be treated with dignity and respect, and it must under no circumstances be the subject of commercial activity"
It will stipulate that families have the right to appoint a funeral director within a reasonable period, to protect them from unreasonable time pressure or commercial influence, such as healthcare providers directing them to a specific company.
Stricter rules will also be introduced regarding how a body is stored in a mortuary or funeral parlour. Crevits believes the current decree falls short in this regard, citing an illegal mortuary recently uncovered in an apartment in Zaventem.
The sector reacted positively to the reform. Funebra, the Royal Federation of the Belgian Funeral Sector, called it “a necessary and positive step forward”.
According to Funebra, recent scandals in the sector have caused outrage. “These events have also left a deep impression within our federation,” said chair Johan Dexters.
“Respect and reverence for the deceased and their bereaved families are at the heart of our profession,” he said. “Every action within the funeral chain must be based on these fundamental values. The body of a deceased person is not a product and must never be the subject of commercial practices.”
The sector also supports greater transparency and a clear definition of the responsibilities of every agency within the funeral chain, he said.
#FlandersNewsService | Illustration © BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ
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