The Council of Ministers today approved, on a proposal by the Minister of Energy, Mathieu Bihet, and the Minister of Consumer Protection, Rob Beenders, a draft bill aimed at simplifying the energy bill to make it more readable, more transparent and therefore easier to compare. This reform concretely delivers on a strong commitment from the coalition agreement: making the energy market clearer and better protecting consumers.
Many households and citizens today struggle to understand their energy bill or easily compare the various offers on the market. Some contracts include complex pricing structures, prices that vary over time, or conditional discounts that mask the real cost. The result: consumers lose track and don't always choose the offer best suited to their needs. “Today, you need a PhD to understand an entire energy bill. Tomorrow, we want a single glance to be enough”, confirms Mathieu Bihet.
The Government therefore wants every consumer in Belgium to know exactly what they are paying, what the real cost of their contract is, and how it compares to other offers available. This transparency is essential to foster competition and keep energy bills affordable.
“The current situation is not normal, citizens have the right to understand what they are paying for. We will therefore improve the transparency of energy bills so that consumers can better understand and anticipate their costs, with full knowledge of the facts”, stresses the Minister of Energy.
What changes in practice?
This reform brings together a series of measures which, together, make the energy bill clearer and easier to understand. They are based on the recommendations of the energy regulator, CREG, and will now be enshrined in law.
- A fixed and clear pricing structure for all contracts
Suppliers will only be allowed to charge two components: a subscription cost and a price per kWh (fixed or variable).
No more hidden surcharges: bills will become clearer and offers easier to compare, allowing the market to work fully.
- A QR code and a direct link to the tariff sheet
Every bill, email or contractual document will have to include a QR code or link directing to the tariff sheet of the current contract. With a single click, consumers will be able to compare their contract with new available offers.
- Fairer rules for renewals and fixed costs
When a contract is tacitly renewed, the supplier will have to inform the customer in good time and clearly.
Fixed costs, meanwhile, will only be chargeable in proportion to the actual time the customer was under contract. This means customers will no longer be charged for a period they did not use.
- Ban on misleading discounts and successive prices within a single contract
Conditional discounts that mask the real price, and formulas where the price changes during the contract, will be banned. This protects consumers against misleading commercial practices, a recurring source of confusion.
What does this mean for consumers?
- A better understanding of what they are actually paying.
- A quicker and more intuitive comparison of offers.
- Stronger protection against misleading offers.
- Greater control over their energy bill.
The goal is simple: to better inform consumers so they can make informed choices, in line with the commitments of the coalition agreement.
In addition to these measures, the energy regulator will now publish an annual report on market transparency and the evolution of price comparability.
Mathieu Bihet, Federal Minister of Energy: “The energy bill shouldn't be a headache. With this reform, we're making it more understandable, fairer and finally comparable. A consumer who can compare pays less. That's what's at stake: a transparent market that empowers citizens and keeps energy bills under control.”