Pensions of the police: first step towards an agreement

With its decision of July 10, 2014 the Constitutional Court cancels the statutory provision that maintained a preferential pension system for officers of the operational task force of the federal police.

By virtue of this system the police officers involved could go on retirement at the age of  54, 56 or 58 - depending on the department to which they belonged.

The Government Policy Statement states that the Government will implement the decision of the Constitutional Court. This statement contains a transitional provision of which the execution comes under the scope Minister of Pensions. The measures according to the specific retirement scheme of police force are within the area of responsibility of the Minister of the Interior.

This Friday, the Council of Ministers -  on the initiative of Minister Daniel Bacquelaine - has adopted the preliminary draft law with an eye on implementing this transitional measure. This entails that the preferential system will be maintained for employees of the federal police who were in a position to claim their pensions before this decision was issued, or before July 10, 2014.

Given the fact that the pension application can be made only one year before going into retirement, the preferential arrangements in favour of the employees of the federal police, will be maintained for those who meet at the latest Friday, July 10th of the year 2015, the age and career conditions to enjoy an early retirement. 

This transitional measure allows more than 2500 police staff members to enjoy these measures as defined in the coalition agreement.  This is urgent as meanwhile their files remain blocked awaiting the actual implementation of this measure which has been submitted to the Negotiation Committee of the Federal Police, and which has yet still to be discussed in Committee A.

Minister Bacquelaine reacts : "I am pleased that a first step has been taken that allows us to reach an agreement on the pension file of the Federal Police.  Now remains for us to conclude an agreement on the contents of the transitional measure with as regards the end-of-career-settlement."

Contact

Koen Peumans, Spokesman of Daniel Bacquelaine, Minister of Pensions                           
+32(0)473 81 11 06 -  koen.peumans@bacquelaine.fed.be