Federal subsidies 2026 for end-of-career in the local police

Local police zones are granted, for the year 2026, a federal subsidy for each of their staff members in non-activity prior to pension (NAPAP). The Royal Decree of October 15, 2026, setting out the modalities for granting these subsidies, is published in the Belgian Official Gazette of November 3, 2026, page 58604, under reference [C − 2026/007998]; it is signed by King Philippe and by the Minister of Security and the Interior, B. Quintin.

A federal charge passed on to the zones

The mechanism is based on Article 41bis of the Law of December 7, 1998, organizing an integrated police service structured at two levels, as replaced by the Law of May 25, 2026. The report to the King justifies the intervention by the additional costs and budgetary burdens due to the extension of the careers of the staff members targeted by judgment no. 103/2014 of the Constitutional Court of July 10, 2014: for the zones, these charges constitute specific, effective, and measurable financial burdens imposed by the federal authority and not covered by the basic federal endowment.

The text is part of an annual series: a Royal Decree of February 22, 2016, had regulated the granting of subsidies for 2016, and similar decrees have been adopted for the years 2017 to 2026. The new decree takes effect on January 1, 2026, and is based on the Law of March 23, 2026, containing the general expenditure budget for the 2026 budget year.

Waiting salary, allowance, and employer contributions

The subsidy is equal to the waiting salary referred to in Article XII.XIII.5 of the PJPol, increased by the holiday allowance and the year-end bonus calculated in accordance with the second paragraph of the same article, as well as the related employer contributions. Other allowances and indemnities are excluded; the calculation based on actual costs, justified by supporting documents, ensures that only effective and measurable charges are reimbursed.

The following staff members of the operational framework meeting the conditions of Article XII.XIII.1 of the PJPol are targeted:

• having reached the required age for NAPAP, namely 58 years for police officers, inspectors, chief inspectors, and officers — 60 years for officers who benefited from a preferential pension age of 58 years;
• having at least 20 years of service in the public sector eligible for the opening of pension rights at the start of non-activity, excluding bonuses for studies;
• satisfying, at the end of a non-activity period of a maximum duration of 4 years, the conditions for early retirement provided for in Article 46 of the Law of May 15, 1984.

Quarterly requests and the December 10 cutoff

Local police forces submit their requests, accompanied by supporting documents, to the federal police at the end of each closed quarter. The year-end schedule is strict:

• requests for the October and November period, as well as estimates for the month of December, are sent no later than December 10 of the current year;
• these estimates are confirmed or adjusted before December 29;
• any new request submitted after December 10 is considered null and void.

The reimbursement for the final quarter follows the same lag: the October-November period is reimbursed during the month of December, and the month of December before the end of January of the following year.

Budgetary Imputation and Limiting Credits

Expenditures are charged to section 17 “Federal Police and Integrated Operation” of the 2026 general expenditure budget, under base allocation 90.12.43.51.02 — i.e., budget line 17.90.12.43.51.02 — both in terms of commitment and liquidation. The opinion of the Inspection of Finance is obtained prior to any payment.

If the requested subsidies exceed the available financial resources, the granted amounts are reduced proportionally based on the remaining credits. The file received the opinion of the Inspector General of Finance on August 25, 2026, and the agreement of the Minister of Budget on September 1, 2026.

Announced Renewal for 2027

The budget circular published in the Belgian Official Gazette on October 8, 2026, confirms the extension of funding for end-of-career measures for local police members in 2027, with a credit set at 45,000 kEUR. However, police zones are invited to limit their registrations to the first three quarters, with further details to follow for the fourth.

What This Changes for Municipalities

The subsidy only covers actual costs that are duly justified and remains capped by available credits: police zones must therefore document each quarter and anticipate a possible proportional reduction at the end of the financial year. The December 10 deadline constitutes the primary operational risk, as a late request is simply null and void.

Source: Belgian Official Gazette of November 3, 2026, p. 58604, royal decree of October 15, 2026, [C − 2026/007998].