Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy David CLARINVAL and the Minister for the Middle Classes, Self-Employed and SMEs Eléonore SIMONET have announced measures to help shopkeepers affected by the riots of recent days: recourse to temporary unemployment and payment facilities for the self-employed.
The ministers announced this Friday that they have taken the following measures:
Temporary unemployment
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy David Clarinval points out that businesses that are victims of vandalism can make use of temporary unemployment due to force majeure for their workers.
David Clarinval, Minister of Economy: “We want to help the shopkeepers affected by the vandalism in Liège. Specifically, this can concern a business whose premises can no longer be occupied safely, whose essential facilities are destroyed, or whose access is prohibited by the authorities. Shopkeepers whose employees are temporarily unable to work as a result of the vandalism can apply for temporary unemployment due to force majeure. We invite them to contact the ONEM or their social secretariat promptly so their situation can be examined.”
The minister advises the shopkeepers concerned to contact the ONEM or their social secretariat promptly to complete the formalities. They should gather supporting evidence: photos, police reports, any closure decision, the expected duration of repairs, and the staff concerned. The ONEM will examine each business's situation case by case to verify whether the events in Liège made work temporarily and completely impossible.
Payment facilities for social security contributions
Eléonore Simonet, Minister for the Middle Classes, Self-Employed and SMEs: “The riots are no longer a demonstration. BE-Alert asked shopkeepers to close. Shops have been looted, windows smashed. The self-employed are paying the price for violence that has nothing to do with their business. This is unacceptable. For our party, as the Minister of the Interior has already said: whoever breaks it, pays for it! For my part, I want to ease the cash flow of the shopkeepers who had to close by introducing payment facilities for contributions and access to the bridging right.”
The Minister has therefore decided on the following measures:
Deferral of contribution payments
First, the Minister has instructed, via the INASTI, the social insurance funds to grant a deferral of up to one year for payment of the provisional contribution for the 4th quarter of 2026, for self-employed workers who suffered damage in Liège as a result of the riots. The self-employed concerned will be able to defer payment of this contribution by one year (15 December 2027).
The Minister specifies that these measures will have no impact whatsoever on the social security rights of those concerned. This means that the right to benefits of those involved will not be negatively affected by the measure.
Reduction of provisional contributions
It is also planned that the funds will draw their members' attention to the fact that, under certain conditions, they have the possibility of requesting a reduction in provisional social security contributions.
Exemption from contributions
Self-employed workers can also submit a simplified application for exemption from contributions to the social insurance fund for the provisional contribution for the 4th quarter of 2026.
Please note, however, that exempted quarters will not count towards building up pension rights (but can be regularised within 5 years to maintain these rights).
Bridging right
Finally, SMEs forced to interrupt their activity can, under certain conditions, also make use of the bridging right on grounds of damage.
As a reminder, the bridging right provides, during the interruption period, for a financial benefit and the maintenance of certain social rights, such as reimbursement of healthcare costs, incapacity, invalidity and maternity benefits, without having to pay social security contributions.