Here are all the new rules that apply in Belgium from July 1.
Wegovy, the medication against obesity, arrives in pharmacies
From July 1, Pharmacies will offer, on prescription, the drug against obesity Wegovy, confirmed its manufacturer, the Danish company Novo Nordisk. Previously, two other drugs for people with diabetes, Ozempic and Mounjaro, were already available and used to treat obesity.
Unlike Ozempic, also produced by Novo Nordisk, and Mounjaro (Eli Lilly), Wegovy is specifically intended for the treatment of obesity. The other two are initially intended for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Novo Nordisk filed a Request from INAMI for the new medication to be reimbursed. The decision is expected for early 2026. Ozempic and Mounjaro are only reimbursed in the context of diabetes treatment.
The price of Walloon service titles increase
The prices of service titles in Wallonia will climb 20 cents From July 1. This indexing is carried out on the basis of the reform of the service titles which came into force on January 1, 2024. Thus, The first 175 service titles acquired per year will drop from 10.20 to 10.40 euros, then from 11.20 to 11.40 euros from the 176th to the 400th service title, and from 12.20 to 12.40 euros beyond.
The tax deduction remains on the other hand unchanged And will always be 10% out of the first 150 titles purchased per year and per person. In addition, the titles purchased before July 1 remain usable until their expiration date. These are valid eight months from their show. Likewise for titles purchased in 2024 at a price of 10 euros.
Walloon tourism activity is simplified
The new Walloon Tourism code, using all regulations for the tourism sector in the south of the country, comes into force on July 1. Its objective is to professionalize the sector and to review the system of subsidies so far in place.
Concretely, the text, the last version of which dated from 2017, plans The abandonment of the classification of accommodation and tourist attractions, in order to administratively simplify access to certification. Tourist houses and tourist federations will no longer be recognized, but will also benefit from certification. This change also means a change in the subsidy regime, the conditions of which have been validated by the Walloon government.
A new tax in force when buying a car in Wallonia
The reform of the registration tax in Wallonia will be implemented this July 1. This tax is to be paid once when buying a new or used vehicle. The calculation will now be carried out on the basis of the power of the engine, CO2 emissions, the maximum authorized mass and the energy/fuel used.
This connection tax will therefore vary depending on the impact of the vehicle chosen on the infrastructure (road degradations and occupation of public space), the environment (impact on health and climate), or depending on the risks in the event of an accident (heavier and more powerful vehicles involved in more serious accidents). Dfection will be applied for used vehicles, and electric and hybrid vehicles will be advantaged compared to those with petrol or diesel.
Note that the traffic tax, annual this one, remains unchanged.
The kilometric tax for heavy goods vehicles indexed in Brussels and Flanders
The kilometric tax intended for heavy goods vehicles will be indexed from July 1 in the Brussels region and Flanders, said Viapass, the public body in charge of this levy.
The kilometer direct debit has applied in Belgium since April 2016, according to the principle of the payer user: Users of highways and main national roads pay according to the kilometers traveled, the weight and pollution rate of their vehicle. It concerns the heavy goods vehicles provided or used for the transport of goods and whose maximum authorized mass exceeds 3.5 tonnes.
The army arrives in nuclear power plants
From July 1, soldiers will ensure the security of the nuclear power plants of Doel and Tihange. A cooperation protocol in this sense was signed on June 10 between the departments of the Interior and Defense Ministers, Bernard Quintin and Theo Francken.
Currently, the surveillance of these sites is ensured by the DAB, the Directorate of Federal Police, Also competent for other missions such as the transport of prisoners to the courts. But The staff are lacking and inspectors are mobilized for tasks that would be of others.
This agreement will allow release police capacity in the order of 200 agents To, by domino effect, strengthen security in Brussels and other places in the country, said the competent firms.
On December 1, soldiers will also ensure the safety of nuclear installations in Mol, Geel and DESSEL and, on April 1, 2026, that of the Fleurus site.
A new energy label for dryers
A new energy label intended to inform consumers about the sustainability and repairability of the devices will be established on July 1 on the dryers. This compulsory label will replace the old energy class system, said the SPF Economy, which applies European legislation to the sustainability of electronic devices.
The new label will attribute to the dryer a note from A (the most efficient) to G (the least efficient). It will also indicate the consumption of devices for 100 cycles (and no longer per year) and the noise level according to a noise class from A to D. The evaluation of the capacity, consumption and duration of the cycle will also be carried out on the basis of the “eco” program and no longer of the “standard cotton” cycle. Finally, for condensing models, a condensation efficiency scale from A to E will be proposed.
Similar labels have already been introduced for televisions, washing machine, refrigerators and, since June 20, for smartphones and tablets.
In France, no more cigarette in public space
From this July 1, it will be prohibited in France to smoke in external public places where children can be found, such as beaches, parks and public gardens, surroundings of schools, bus shelters or sports equipment.
The many Belgians who will go on vacation across the quiévrain this summer will have to take this into account. Especially since non-compliance with the prohibition “may generate a 4th class ticket, or 135 euros,” said the French Minister of Health and Families, Catherine Vautrin. The prohibition does not concern the terraces of cafes, nor electronic cigarettes.
In Belgium, the spaces where smoking has now been prohibited have been more numerous since December 31. This prohibition is now worth in the amusement parks, zoos, play plains and sports fields, as well as within a radius of ten meters around the entries and exits of care and teaching establishments (schools, hospitals, rest houses, nurseries, etc.) and public libraries.
