The Flemish government will focus on home and building renovations to reduce energy costs, as part of a broader agreement on energy, budget and water policy.
The Flemish government has agreed a package of measures to cut energy consumption, prioritising long-term renovations over immediate financial relief on energy bills, while also approving a 2026 budget adjustment and a new drinking water strategy.
The government led by Matthias Diependaele said the focus is on “structural measures” to lower energy use. Energy minister Hans Bonte confirmed that the budget for “Mijn Verbouwlening”, a low-interest renovation loan, will be increased by 70 million euros per year over the next two years. Additional funding includes 100 million euros for energy renovations in schools and 25 million euros for social housing, alongside expanded free energy scans for low-income households. Large energy suppliers will also be required to continue offering fixed-price contracts.
The energy measures come shortly after a separate agreement at federal level on energy support, but the Flemish government has avoided introducing direct financial aid to reduce bills in the short term. Budget minister Ben Weyts stressed that the government wants to avoid increasing spending and argued against what he described as short-term solutions.
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\n belganewsagency.eu \n The drinking water plan aims to protect supply and address pollution, particularly in West Flanders, where elevated levels of the chemical 1,2,4-triazole have been recorded. Existing temporary limits for this substance will remain in place until 2029, while measures such as wider buffer zones along waterways, reduced wastewater discharges and stricter monitoring of pollutants are introduced to bring levels back down. The plan also places more responsibility on sectors such as agriculture and industry to prevent contamination at the source. Diependaele said the agreement should remove any public concern, stressing there is no health risk linked to drinking water, a point echoed by environment minister Jo Brouns, who described the plan as “historic” and said public health had not been compromised.
The government also agreed an adjustment to its 2026 budget. Rising inflation has created an estimated impact of 320 million euros, although this is expected to be partly offset by higher federal transfers next year. The agreement also brings forward around 100 million euros in future expenses, including infrastructure projects like Oosterweel.
“We have cleared a hurdle, but a pole vault still awaits us in September”
To contain spending, only one in three departing civil servants will be replaced, a move expected to save about 20 million euros. Weyts warned that further efforts will be needed to balance the budget by 2027. “We have cleared a hurdle, but a pole vault still awaits us in September”, he said, indicating that additional savings of around 1 billion euros may be required.
While the agreement ends weeks of political deadlock, further details on several measures are expected to be clarified in the coming days.
\u200b#FlandersNewsService | Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele © BELGA PHOTO MARIUS BURGELMAN
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