Belgium applies its energy norm: lower transmission tariffs for industry and lower electricity excise duties

Federal energy minister Mathieu Bihet (MR) announced on 5 November the entry into application of the energy norm, a mechanism long demanded by Belgian industry. "Industry has been calling for an energy norm for fifteen years," the minister said, as quoted by the news site 21News.

What was decided. According to the ministerial statement reported by 21News, since 1 November the norm has translated into two measures. The first is a structural reduction in electricity transmission tariffs, applied to companies that meet eligibility criteria set by the federal regulator CREG. The second is a cut in excise duties on electricity, applicable to all consumers, households and businesses alike. "With the lower excise duties, we are also acting on electricity taxation for households and businesses," Bihet said. The statement does not quantify the savings.

The figures. According to an analysis by the site Tinynews based on the law of 25 October 2026, published in the Belgian Official Gazette on 30 October, the special excise duty on residential electricity consumption falls from 46 to 42.20 €/MWh on 1 November and then gradually to 34.20 €/MWh in January 2029. The consumer association Test-Achats calculated in September that, under the excise reform, a household using 3,500 kWh a year will pay €42.32 less for electricity in 2029, but that excise duties on gas are rising, so that an average household will pay about €35 more overall.

Context. When the Chamber debated the bill in April, The Brussels Times reported that large electricity consumers pay more than competitors in neighbouring countries and that the package, with a budget of nearly €1 billion over the legislature, combines a permanent cut in transmission tariffs with temporary support under the European CISAF state aid framework. In return, beneficiaries must invest in decarbonisation, energy efficiency and demand flexibility.

What comes next. According to the same Tinynews analysis, the next steps in the cut to the electricity excise duty are scheduled for 1 January 2027, 2028 and 2029.

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