Minister of Pension Jan Jambon concludes discussion about heavy professions
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There will be no new discussion about the heavy professions this legislature. That is what Minister of Pensions Jan Jambon (N-VA) has clearly understood in the Chamber. Opening that discussion only offers the guarantee that no agreement will be reached, according to the Deputy Prime Minister.
The new government De Wever has the ambition to strengthen the bond between effective working and the accrual of pension rights. From 2027, the possibility of a long effective career will be provided, whereby someone from the age of 60 can retire after at least 42 years of work on the clock and with at least 234 effectively worked every year.
Member of Parliament Vincent van Quickenborne wanted to know from Minister Jambon on Wednesday whether something is still provided for in the field of the long career and whether a discussion is still possible about the heavy professions. He recalled the discussion at the time of the Michel government. If compensation for increasing the statutory retirement age, there would be exceptions for people with a heavy profession, but that debate was never completed.
And according to Jambon, this legislature is not the intention to reopen that debate. « As you know and, as it has been repeatedly proven in the past, there is a guarantee when opening the discussion about a list of heavy professions that no consensus can be achieved between and with the social partners from the various regimes and sectors, » said the minister.
He notes that the possibility of early retirement after an effective long career is a way to deal with heavy professions or incriminating working conditions. And with the reduction of preferential regimes, such as in the Ministry of Defense, accompanying measures are provided in terms of adapted work.
« As far as we are concerned, that is a better approach than the impossible task of drawing up a list of heavy professions, which must also be translated into pension legislation, » says Jambon. He also argues that heavy professions can change over the years, for example after a conscious prevention policy. “We also focus on a flexible end -car track policy in which we support employees to stay at work longer but workable. For older employees it remains possible to work part -time at the end of their career via a runway, or four fifth, from 55 years, « said Jambon.
