Previous reports: 2024 | 2023/24
| Conscription currently imposed? | No |
Suspended by law on 31 December 1992. Last conscripts were demobilised in March 1995. Could be reinstated, but only by law. |
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| Conscientious objection first recognised | 1964 | Law of 3rd June on Status of Conscientious Objectors | ||||||
| CO release of professional soldiers | – | No specific provision. Early release can be sought but may be denied for operational reasons. | ||||||
| Minimum recruitment age | 18 (nominally) | The formal requirement is to have completed mandatory education thus in fact a small number of 17 year olds are recruited each year. | ||||||
| Military expenditure1 |
|
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Principal EBCO concerns
-
No recognition of the right to conscientious objection for professional soldiers or reservists.
-
No full guarantee of international protection for conscientious objectors to military service who are at risk of persecution in their country of origin.
-
Exposure of minors to military programs and training.
Based on replies to EBCO’s questionnaire by the Ministry of Defence and public information:
Developments
By the end of 2025, all 17-year-olds had received a letter from the Ministry of Defence informing them of the possibility of enlisting for a year of voluntary military service with an income of 2000€/month. It will start in September 2026 for a selection of 500 young people (men and women). After their service, they will be member of the military reserve for a period of 10 years.2
Voluntary recruitment
Total first-time military recruitment in the years 2023 to 2025 is shown in the table below.3
|
Age |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
17 |
8 |
7 |
5 |
20 |
|
18 |
359 |
384 |
365 |
1108 |
|
19 |
484 |
472 |
453 |
1409 |
|
20 |
369 |
373 |
319 |
1061 |
|
21 |
279 |
253 |
267 |
799 |
|
22 |
207 |
197 |
201 |
605 |
|
23 |
195 |
193 |
158 |
546 |
|
24 |
159 |
190 |
147 |
496 |
|
25 |
143 |
171 |
170 |
484 |
|
26 |
113 |
150 |
139 |
402 |
|
27 |
99 |
125 |
122 |
346 |
|
28 |
49 |
82 |
110 |
241 |
|
29 |
59 |
70 |
61 |
190 |
|
30 |
45 |
69 |
44 |
158 |
|
31 |
26 |
44 |
33 |
103 |
|
32 |
16 |
31 |
34 |
81 |
|
33 |
14 |
23 |
29 |
66 |
|
34 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
35 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
36 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
40 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
2626 |
2835 |
2659 |
8120 |
|
Gender |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Female |
362 |
411 |
404 |
1177 |
|
Male |
2264 |
2424 |
2255 |
6943 |
|
Total |
2626 |
2835 |
2659 |
8120 |
- Military expenditure figures are estimates published by SIPRI (The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) in April 2026.↩︎
- https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/08/belgium-to-follow-dutch-example-and-introduce-voluntary-military-service↩︎
- The numbers are different from those provided by the Ministry and included in the 2024 Annual Report. The Ministry has not provided an explanation for the discrepancy.↩︎