What changes in Belgium (and Luxembourg) on 1 March?

Postal service
From 1 March, non-urgent post will only be delivered two times a week by Bpost: on Monday or Tuesday and Wednesday or Thursday. The limited delivery concerns all non-priority post, publicity post and non-weekly magazines.

Free public transport in Luxembourg
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg becomes the first country in the world to offer an entirely free public transport network from 29 February. Passengers will need to show a form of identity when using buses, trams and trains across the country. The exception to the free service is first-class travel on trains and certain night bus services.

Dentists’ fees index-linked
Following an agreement between dentists and health insurers signed on 30 January, dentists’ fees rise by 1.95% from 1 March. The indexation is based on inflation. Although fees for numerous dental care treatment are going up, the increase is reimbursed by health insurers so that the amount paid by the patient does not change. But dentists working in the state system (conventionées) are free to set higher prices for a series of treatments, such as tooth extraction and some prosthetic treatment, without the increase being reimbursed.

MuseumPass price rise
The MuseumPass increases in price from €50 to €59 from 1 March, due to a rise in cost of museum entrance tickets. The annual pass provides illimited access to 170 museums, with only occasional supplements required for temporary exhibitions. Around 100,000 people are in possession of the museum pass.

New rules on radiation protection
New radiation protection regulations come into force on March 1, taking into account updatated needs related to medicine, in particular veterinary medicine. The Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (AFCN) wants to ensure that patients, workers and also animal owners are protected from the dangers of ionising radiation.

Photo: © Belga/Philippe François