Frequently asked questions about social elections in Belgium

The National Labour Council has set the dates for the social elections between 13 and 26 May 2024, for all companies established in Belgium.

A works council must be set up in all companies with an average of at least 100 employees. However, these councils must be renewed as soon as the company has an average of at least 50 employees. In companies with between 50 and 99 employees, where the council is to be renewed, there is no need to elect council members. Their mandate is exercised by the employee delegates elected to the committee for prevention and protection at work.

For the CPPT, three lists are possible:

• workers;
• employees;
• young workers: provided that the company employs at least 25 workers who will be under 25 on the day of the elections.

For the Council, four lists are possible :

• workers;
• employees;
• lyoung workers: provided that the company employs at least 25 workers who will be under 25 on the day of the elections.
• professional and managerial staff: provided that the company employs at least 15 professional and managerial staff.

The works council monitors the economic and financial health of the company. In particular the workforce, productivity, competitiveness and future prospects.

The CPPT has a prevention and welfare role.

All employees can apply, with the following conditions :

• be bound to the company by an employment contract or apprenticeship contract;
• be at least 18 years old (or 16 years old for young workers' representatives) and not have reached the age of 65 (or 25 years old for young workers' representatives);
• not to be a member of the management staff or a prevention or confidential advisor;
• have a minimum seniority of 6 uninterrupted months or 9 discontinuous months in 2023 in the legal entity or in the technical operating unit consisting of several legal entities.

For each social election, the FPS Employment offers a web application to companies participating in the social elections. This web application allows them to communicate the documents, such as the minutes and the pre-election information, as well as the statistics required by law to the FPS Employment and to the organisations representing the workers..

• Web application "social elections 2024" in French
• Web application "social elections 2024" in Dutch

Not all online voting applications are allowed. According to the law of 4 December 2007 on social elections, manufacturers of electronic voting solutions are obliged to file a copy of their electronic voting system with the Directorate General for Individual Labour Relations of the FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue. The list of these companies is available here.

The draw for the numbers of the lists of candidates for the 2024 social elections has been carried out in the office of the Minister of Employment and in the presence of the representative organisations of workers and managers.

• CGSLB - ACLVB : 1
• CSC - ACV : 2
• FGTB - ABVV: 3
• CNC - NCK : 4