Several new legal and regulatory provisions applying directly to citizens will enter into force in 2018. Below is an overview of the main area that will have a direct impact on ordinary citizens. The list is not exhaustive :
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Housing aid
Changes in certain parameters of the housing-aid scheme will bring the number of eligible households up to 35,020.
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Leave for personal reasons and leave for family reasons
Amongst other things, the new law will extend paternity leave (‘Pappecongé’) from 2 to 10 days. All working fathers may take at least 10 working days of paternity leave around the date of their child’s birth. That leave will be paid as a normal leave period. Employees entitled to paternity leave must give their employer 2 month’s notice, informing them of the dates and conditions of the leave they intend to take. The same provisions apply in the event of the adoption of a child under the age of 16.
The law will also increase the number of days of leave for personal reasons to which parents are entitled in the event of the death of a minor child from 3 to 5 working days.
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Cost-of-living allowance
The regulation renews the payment of a cost-of-living allowance to low-income households in 2018. Family allowances, back-to-school benefit and childbirth benefit are no longer taken into consideration in calculating the household’s total income. The amounts of the cost-of-living allowance remain unchanged from those in force in 2017.
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Reform of long-term care insurance
The main objectives of this reform are: to better tailor, to each recipient, the provision of high-quality service, catering to the daily needs of each person; to improve quality by imposing clear standards and criteria, and adequate checks; to simplify procedures and defragment the system in line with social changes, and in accordance with the fundamental principles of the original law passed in 1998.
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Taxes on real-estate capital gains
The 10.5% tax on real-estate capital gains has been extended until 31 December 2018.
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Date of legislative elections for 2018
The date of the next legislative elections is set for 14 October 2018.
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Protection of data of natural persons
New rules relating on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data will be applicable as of 25 May 2018.
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