The Government Council (Luxembourg's cabinet) met on Wednesday 24 July 2024, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Luc Frieden.
As reported by Luxembourg's Ministry of State, the cabinet had an exchange of views on international and European issues, as well as the national job market.
Moreover, the cabinet adopted a series of measures put in place to follow up on the announcements made during the State of the Nation address concerning specific support for low-income people to meet energy costs.
These include the following:
- the bill amending: the amended law of 12 September 2003 relating to disabled people; the amended law of 28 July 2018 relating to social inclusion income, which aims to perpetuate the equivalent tax credit (ECI) for beneficiaries of the basic flat-rate amount per adult due under the law of 18 July 2018 relating to social inclusion income (REVIS), as well as for beneficiaries of the income for severely disabled persons (RPGH) under the amended law of 12 September 2003 relating to disabled people. The amount of the ECI is also adjusted to increase from €84 to €90.
- the bill amending the amended law of 16 December 2022 authorising the State to participate in financing the additional cost of energy and electricity products borne by integrated centres for the elderly, care homes, supervised housing for the elderly and psycho-geriatric centres approved under the amended law of 8 September 1998 regulating relations between the State and organisations working in the social, family and therapeutic fields. The purpose of this bill is to extend the financial support measures for the aforementioned accommodation structures set up to protect residents from excessive increases in energy costs, for a third eligible period, namely from 1 January to 31 December 2025.
The also approved the bill on the financing of the negative contribution within the framework of the compensation mechanism for the year 2025. This bill concerns the financing, via a State contribution, of part of the costs generated by the compensation mechanism in order to limit the increase in electricity prices for category A customers (annual consumption less than or equal to 25,000 kWh).
Moreover, the ministers approved the draft Grand-Ducal regulation on the operating procedures for heat pumps.
Separately, the cabinet indicated their agreement with the draft agreement between the State and the City of Esch-sur-Alzette relating to the financial participation of the State through the special fund for financing socio-family infrastructure in the acquisition and development work of a night shelter for 31 homeless people in Esch-sur-Alzette.
Other subjects were addressed such as the nature pact and education.
