The Belgian government has decided to relax rules on shop opening hours, allowing businesses to work longer in the evenings and scrapping one mandatory day off per week, writes Politico.
Supermarkets in Belgium will now be allowed to stay open an hour longer, until 9pm, and will be able to work seven days a week. Currently, supermarkets, clothing and electronics retailers must close at least one day a week, and their opening hours must not be later than 8pm (or 9pm on Fridays). Belgian media De Morgen reported that the government plans to adopt the changes on the 18th of July.
The agreement to ease the rules for shops was reached after the current Belgian coalition government was formed in January. Now, entrepreneurs will be able to choose their working hours more flexibly, but
this does not mean that everyone will be obliged to keep stores open until 9pm or open on Sundays.
The government is reportedly also discussing a proposal to extend opening hours until 10 p.m., but some coalition partners are concerned that it will be very difficult for small businesses to compete with supermarkets. However, opposition MPs have pointed out that the plan to extend opening hours until 10 p.m. should have been stuck to, while others say the changes make no sense, as shops are not currently using their opening hours to their full potential.
The Council of Self-Employed and Small and Medium-Sized Entrepreneurs has expressed concerns about the burden the new rules will place on small businesses.
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