New in 2019

Access to information: transparent and open government administrations

Entry into force: 1 January 2019

The law of 14 September 2018 on a transparent and open public administration states that a public body must now automatically post online any so-called accessible document or share such a document within one month of its being requested by a natural or legal person.

This means that all persons have a right of access to documents related to the exercise of an administrative activity by:

• government departments and services,
• communes and associations of communes,
• public-sector establishments overseen by the State or communal authorities,
• legal persons providing public services,
• the Chamber of Deputies,
• the Council of State,
• the Ombudsman,
• the Court of Auditors,
• the professional chambers.

These bodies are required to disclose the documents they hold, that are accessible by law, to any person who requests them without this person having to demonstrate an interest.

Publication in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Single-use plastic bags

Entry into force: 1 January 2019

From 1 January 2019, plastic bags will have to be paid for. Stores will no longer be allowed to hand out single-use plastic bags for free, i.e. bags with a thickness of more than 15 microns. Thinner plastic bags – with a thickness of less than 15 microns – are not concerned by this rule as long as they are offered for reasons of hygiene or as a primary packaging of bulk food for the purpose of preventing food waste.

Publication in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Cost-of-living allowance

Entry into force: 1 January 2019

The regulation of 21 September 2018 renews the allocation of a cost-of-living allowance to low-income households, for 2019. The amounts of the cost-of-living allowance are the same as those in force in 2018.

Summary of the work of the Government Council dated 21 September 2018

Publication in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

The REVIS, formerly the RMG, the RPGH and the social minimum wage will increase

Entry into force: 1 January 2019

On 1 January 2019, the guaranteed minimum income (RMG) becomes the social inclusion income (REVIS). On the same day, the social minimum wage, REVIS and the income for severely disabled people (RPGH) increase by 1.1 %. These adjustments are made in light of a wage increase recorded between 2016 and 2017.

Summary of the work of the Government Council dated 16 November 2018

Publication in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Sickness benefit and incapacity for work

Entry into force: 1 January 2019

The law of 10 August 2018 raises the maximum entitlement to sickness benefit from 52 weeks to a total of 78 weeks over a reference period of 104 weeks.

The law also introduces a gradual return to work for therapeutic reasons, if it is found that returning to work and the nature of the work performed could help improve the patient's condition.

In order to align the new above-mentioned limit of 78 weeks and the reference period for salary maintenance, the law of 10 August 2018 extends the reference period from 12 to 18 months. As such, as from 1 January 2019, employees in a state of incapacity for work are entitled to continue receiving their full salary until the end of the calendar month during which the 77th day of incapacity for work, during an 18-month reference period, falls.

Summary of the document on the Chamber of Deputies website

Statement by the Ministry of Social Security

Mandatory declaration of certain diseases

Entry into force: 1 January 2019

With the entry into force of the law of 1 August 2018 on the mandatory declaration of certain diseases, in order to ensure better surveillance of infectious diseases in the Grand Duchy, certain diseases, such as tuberculosis, Lyme disease, Measles or sexually transmitted diseases (e.g. AIDS, Syphilis, Hepatitis) must be declared by doctors, dentists and/or the laboratory of analysis of medical biology. All notifiable diseases, as well as those for which the bacterial, viral or parasitic strain is isolated on the patient or the biological material must be transferred to the national reference laboratory. These diseases are  listed in a grand-ducal regulation.

Publication in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

New national HPV vaccination program, girls and boys

Entry into force: 1 January 2019

According to the recommendations of the Superior Council of Infectious Diseases (CSMI) of June 2018, the new HPV vaccine, active against 9 viral strains, is now available, free of charge, through the National Immunisation Program funded by the Ministry of Health:

• for all girls and boys aged between 9 and 13 and
• in a more targeted approach for persons at risk.

By also vaccinating boys, it is hoped that the spread of HPV in the population will be reduced, thereby reducing the incidence of cervical cancer.

Update of the recommendations of the Superior Council of Infectious Diseases (CSMI) - HPV

Reimbursement of dietary consultations

Entry into force: 1 January 2019

According to the grand-ducal regulation of 5 December 2018, the new nomenclature and the agreement with dieticians will allow the reimbursement of dietary consultations and thus improve the overall care of the patient in a multidisciplinary context.

Publication in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
 

Institution of "Mini-crèches"

Entry into force: 7 January 2019

"Mini-crèches" are small entities that are between a crèche and a childminder, designed to serve up to 11 children aged 0 to 12, with a maximum of 4 babies under 1 year old.

These entities have been set up by the government as part of its aim to expand offerings in childcare and informal education. Mini-crèches must be managed by a childcare worker and a person who is trained in social and educational support of children or holds a training certificate in childminding.

Publication in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Description of the concept on the website of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth
 

Social elections

The next social elections are scheduled for 12 March 2019.

This means that businesses staffed by at least 15 employees under an employment contract during the year preceding the first day of the month of the posting announcing the elections are theoretically required to hold elections within their business.

Accordingly, employers are required to carry out several procedures with the Inspectorate of Labour and Mines (Inspection du travail et des mines), including:

• declare that social elections will be held in their business;
• disclose the candidates' names;
• report the election results, etc.

A major change for the 2019 elections is that employers must now complete these procedures directly through MyGuichet.lu.

The social elections on Guichet.lu

The Website of the Inspectorate of Labour and Mines

2019 European elections

The next European elections are scheduled for 26 May 2019. Voting takes place from 8 am to 2 pm. The registration deadline for foreign EU nationals residing in Luxembourg who would like to participate for the first time in European elections is 5 pm on 28 February 2019.

Postal voting will be open to all registered voters in a timely manner.

Individuals may register to vote and request a postal vote through MyGuichet.lu.

The European elections section on the official election website in Luxembourg

The 2019 European Elections on Guichet.lu

Additional information on European elections is available at jepeuxvoter.lu
 

Academic scholarships

Date of implementation: 1 August 2019

Following the wage increase due to the sliding wage scale dated 1 August 2018, amounts of State financial aid for higher education will rise by 2.5 % from the 2019-2020 academic year.

Publication in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Scholarships and loans from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research on the CEDIES website

In the current legislative progress

Creation of an employment inclusion assistance initiative

This 'inclusion assistance' scheme aims to facilitate the inclusion and especially the job protection of people registered as workers with a disability, or who are under an external redeployment scheme, by creating an initiative called 'employment inclusion assistance'.

This assistance allows businesses to call on an accredited specialist to guide their workplace inclusion process for workers with a disability or workers under an external redeployment scheme. In addition, in some cases, the costs of this assistance may be covered by the Employment Fund.

Description of the project on the employment portal

Summary of the document on the Chamber of Deputies website