A European Commission staff working document published on 17 July 2026, the country chapter for Belgium in the 2026 Rule of Law Report, finds limited or no progress on most recommendations, with some steps taken on judicial resources and digitalisation. The report notes that Belgium maintained its intention to transfer budgetary management from the executive to the judiciary, and Parliament adopted a law on 29 January 2026 to align judicial employment conditions with civil servants. Additional financial resources were announced via a "leverage strategy," but precise allocation remains unclear. However, the report identifies no progress on legislative reform for lobbying transparency, no rules adopted on gifts or benefits for Parliament members or revolving doors for Government members, and whistleblower rules remain under evaluation. On media and civic space, media regulators made progress, but no further steps were taken on access to official documents, while steps were taken to strengthen journalist protections against SLAPPs. Judicial efficiency saw limited progress: civil and commercial case resolution remained at 246 days in 2024, and administrative cases rose to 370 days. A working group of six academic experts was established. No progress was made on compliance with final rulings of national courts or the European Court of Human Rights. The report is part of the Commission's annual rule of law cycle, which monitors developments across all member states. The findings suggest that Belgium has made some progress on judicial resources and digitalisation but stalled on anti-corruption reforms, access to documents, and judicial efficiency, with no progress on lobbying rules or compliance with court rulings. The Commission's overall 2026 Rule of Law Report, covering all EU countries, was published simultaneously. The European Parliament and the Council are expected to discuss the findings in the coming months, with the Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) likely to hold a debate on the country-specific recommendations.
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