Recently, the three Dutch-speaking Federal Government parties (CD&V, N-VA and Open VLD) have proposed changing the current meal voucher system in Belgium. The proposal suggests replacing the (paper and electronic) meal vouchers with a non-taxable cash allowance (meal allowance). The conditions for benefitting from the favourable tax and social security treatment would remain unchanged.
In the past, similar changes were already proposed, without success. Although the abolishment of the meal voucher system was not ‘as such’ included in the current Coalition Agreement, it seems not unrealistic to state that the proposed change may be approved by the Federal Parliament this time. The proposal is currently pending in the Chamber of Representatives (more particular the first chamber under the two-chamber procedure).
