In Belgium, companies employing more than 100 workers must establish and periodically renew work councils, while companies with at least 50 workers must set up and renew a committee for prevention of psychosocial risks and protection at work (Law of 4 December 2007 on social elections).

These two bodies allow for continuous dialogue between the management and the workers’ representatives, who are elected by the workers.

Social elections for the establishment and renewal of works councils and committees for prevention and protection at work are taking place between 16 and 29 November 2020. Such electoral process will concern more than 6,000 companies, and around 3,000 works councils and 6,000 committees for prevention and protection at work.

The election process is regulated by very detailed provisions on all stages of the voting (prior, during and after the election). Social partners, which remain vigilant throughout the elections, may reach informal agreements on issues of common interest.

The latest social elections took place in 2016 and this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, social partners agreed to facilitate the voting procedure through postal vote or electronic vote. This agreement was formalised in a law of 4 May 2020 “on the suspension of the social elections procedure due to COVID-19”. 

According to Jean-Charles Parizel, Adviser at the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (Fédération des Entreprises de Belgique – FEB), “within the difficult context of Covid-19 social partners have proved highly collaborative during this year elections and were able to reach consensus on important practical matters. We hope to maintain these productive exchanges even after 2020 in order to modernise the procedure for the next sessions. The massive use of electronic vote and the high rate of participation demonstrated how social partners can be ahead of legislative changes".