Belgium pays 961,457 euros for Ukrainian air traffic control

The Belgian Official Gazette of November 6, 2026, publishes, on page 59576, a royal decree of October 22, 2026, bearing reference C − 2026/008027, which approves the third amendment to the fourth management contract between the State and skeyes. This amendment adds an annex 7.9 to the contract entitled “Special financing measures 2026 – support for Ukrainian air traffic control.” Through this mechanism, the State grants the Belgian air navigation service provider an amount of 961,457 euros intended to compensate for the revenues withheld by Eurocontrol from the Belgian share of “en route” charges.

The text originates from the FPS Mobility and Transport and bears the signature of King Philippe. It is part of the fourth management contract concluded on May 25, 2024, between the State and skeyes, which has already been amended twice: a second amendment, approved by royal decree of August 27, 2026 (C − 2026/005965, published in the Belgian Official Gazette of September 1, 2026, p. 47583), had replaced annex 7.1 relating to the financing of terminal air navigation services. This current third amendment is the first to concern the financing of international solidarity.

The financial mechanism of Annex 7.9

Annex 7.9 creates article A. 7.9.1. Its first paragraph stipulates that the State grants skeyes an amount of 961,457 euros “to compensate for the revenues withheld by Eurocontrol from the Belgian part of the ’en route’ charges collected by skeyes in accordance with Article 48 of this management contract.”

These withheld revenues do not remain in the coffers of the European organization: the text specifies that they are “intended for the European ATM Solidarity Fund established by this organization to support the Ukrainian air traffic control body.” The Belgian mechanism therefore consists of reimbursing skeyes for a deduction made upstream from its charges, rather than directly financing a foreign administration.

Paragraph 2 sets out the payment method: the amount will be paid to skeyes “as soon as the funds are available.” No quantified schedule is therefore established in the annex.

A procedure completed in four months

The file passed through several mandatory stages before publication:

• approval by the board of directors of skeyes on June 25, 2026;
• opinion of the Inspector General of Finance on September 15, 2026;
• agreement of the Minister of Budget on September 24, 2026;
• deliberation of the Council of Ministers on October 9, 2026;
• royal signature in Brussels on October 22, 2026.

The decree enters into force on the day of its publication in the Belgian Official Gazette, namely November 6, 2026. The Minister of Mobility is responsible for its execution.

The signatories of the annex

The protocol of the annex bears, for skeyes, the signature of the chairman of the board of directors L. Vrijdaghs and that of the managing director J. Decuyper. For the Belgian State, the annex is signed by the Minister of Mobility J.-L. Crucke.

Scope of the mechanism

In concrete terms, the measure neutralizes for skeyes the budgetary effect of a withholding decided at the European level: 961,457 euros are returned to the Belgian manager, while the corresponding contribution feeds the Eurocontrol solidarity fund for the benefit of Ukrainian air traffic control. The cost is borne by the State budget, and not by the airlines via fees. For sector stakeholders, annex 7.9 anchors a commitment to solidarity—which could have remained a one-off contribution—within a multi-year management contract, and it creates a precedent for the budgetary compensation of European levies.

Source: Moniteur belge no. 254 of 06.11.2026, p. 59576, C − 2026/008027, royal decree of October 22, 2026.