This is the best time to implement the federal mobility budget: Here’s why

1. Mobility budget for everyone

At the beginning of 2025, it was in all the newspapers. ‘The mobility budget will be available for everyone.‘ HR and Fleet Managers immediately felt overwhelmed. Employees’ vocabulary expanded with terms like ‘pillar 2’ and ‘TCO’. At first glance, it all seemed very complex. But that is precisely what the new coalition agreement aims to counteract.

The purpose of ‘the mobility budget for everyone’ is administrative simplification. This makes sense, as in previous years, the legislation around the federal mobility budget was also expanded. Think of the two TCO formulas to clarify the calculation for employers. Or that employees living up to 10 kilometres from their workplace can also use their budget for housing, instead of a maximum of 5 kilometres.

The previous coalition agreement also included plans to explore how more Belgians could benefit from the advantages of the mobility budget. The new coalition agreement in 2025 links this expansion to simplifying the management of mobility allowances. The idea is to provide one budget for all (commuting) travel. And that will be the federal mobility budget.

Mobility guide: The federal mobility budget in 2025

2. Company car? The implementation of the mobility budget will become mandatory

According to the new coalition agreement, every company with one or more company cars will also have to offer the federal mobility budget. This likely means…

• That you no longer have to wait 3 years after taking your first company car into use before you can implement it, as is currently the case.
• That employees who are promoted to a position with a company car or who switch company cars will always have the right to choose the mobility budget. The same applies to new hires for a position with a company car.

As an employer, you still get to compose their mobility budget and associated options yourself. For example, pillar 1, an environmentally friendly car, is not mandatory to offer. You also choose which options you include in pillar 2, and in pillar 3, the remaining amount is always paid out annually.

But is your company ready to support your employees’ choice? Is your mobility policy adapted accordingly? And how will you easily track their budgets? These are questions companies are currently struggling with. That’s why they turn to an expert.

Result: Nearly 60,000 companies waiting in line

There are approximately 60,000 companies with company cars in Belgium. 60,000 companies that want a custom mobility policy for their location, employees, philosophy…

To get this right with the appropriate consultant, you should count on a processing time of 10 working days, throughout one to two months. This is what Thierry Devresse, mobility budget expert and CEO of My Mobility Budget Butler, shared during Olympus Mobility’s webinar on the coalition agreement. Moreover, the Federal Government aims to introduce its plan as early as 2025.

So, it’s best not to delay this preparation too long. If you want to offer flexibility, you can already start today. With the mobility budget, you expand your mobility options and position yourself as an attractive employer in the market. This creates a better retention and recruitment policy. For example, at EY, 20% of new talents choose pillar 2. Additionally, you become one of the pioneers, feel the positive impact on your fleet, and actively work towards your Sustainable Development Goals.

If you decide to wait for the new legislation, know that nearly 60,000 other companies will also contact their favored experts. At that point, consultants’ and other specialists’ schedules will quickly fill up. Supporting their own clients will take priority. Therefore, we recommend starting with the first steps as soon as possible.

Want to be prepared?

Mobility experts Jonathan and Bert are happy to assist.

Thanks to tools like Olympus Mobility, the administrative burden for managing the mobility budget is greatly reduced. It’s only 1/3 of the management cost of a company car.
Thierry Devresse, CEO My Mobility Budget Butler