Belgium court cancels repayment linked to Moroccan pension

This update focuses on Moroccan pension in Belgium. A Moroccan man living in Belgium, ordered to repay €14,492.61 to his health insurance fund because of his Moroccan pension, has finally been cleared of any debt after an appeal court cancelled the repayment and condemned the insurer.

Moroccan pension in Belgium at the heart of a €14,492.61 dispute

The case concerns a man who worked as an employee in Morocco from 1986 to 2013. He later moved to Belgium in January 2015, where he also worked.

In February 2019, he was officially recognised as unfit for work and began receiving disability benefits paid by the Federation of Socialist Mutualities of Brabant.

From 1 January 2020, he also started to receive a retirement pension from Morocco. Like many cross-border retirees, he was combining a Moroccan pension with social security rights in Belgium.

Health insurer misinterprets the Moroccan pension

Once informed of his work history in Morocco, the Belgian health insurer contacted him in March 2021 for details about his rights abroad. The insured man sent:

• a Moroccan pension certificate,
• a bank statement,
• a written note specifying that all amounts were in dirhams.

A few weeks later, the insurer notified him that he had allegedly received €14,492.61 in undue benefits. It initially treated his Moroccan pension as a disability annuity, then later admitted it was in fact a retirement pension.

This correction, however, did not immediately change the amount claimed. In December 2021, the French-speaking labour court in Brussels sided with the health insurer and ordered the man to repay the full €14,492.61.

Appeal overturns the first ruling

The man appealed, insisting he had always declared his situation and highlighting the practical difficulties of transferring money from his Moroccan account to Belgium.

During the appeal proceedings, the health insurer recalculated everything. For the period from January 2020 to March 2021, it eventually reduced the alleged overpayment to €1,383.81. Taking into account the amounts already withheld from his benefits, it acknowledged further corrections were needed.

After four conflicting decisions, the appeal court ruled that the insured man owed nothing. The judges cancelled the claimed debt and condemned the health insurer.

What this means for Moroccans living in Belgium and Europe

This case of a Moroccan pension in Belgium highlights several concrete points for Moroccans abroad, especially in Europe:

• social security bodies can misinterpret pensions paid from Morocco;
• a wrong classification (retirement vs. disability) can significantly distort calculations;
• administrative errors can be challenged, even after an initial negative ruling.

For Moroccans living abroad who receive, or plan to receive, a pension from Morocco while residing in Belgium or another European country, a few safeguards are useful:

• keep all official pension certificates and clearly indicate the currency;
• reply in writing to any request for information from foreign institutions;
• seek advice from a legal expert or a specialised social service if needed;
• do not hesitate to appeal if a decision seems incoherent or unfair.

The ruling also sends a clear message: a properly declared Moroccan pension should not automatically turn into a heavy foreign debt. In case of obvious error or abuse, going to court can lead to full cancellation of the repayment and even to sanctions against the institution involved.

To better understand your rights between Morocco and your country of residence, you can also consult our Canal212 guide on key procedures for Moroccans living abroad.

For more context, readers can follow Canal212 news for Moroccans abroad.

For official updates, readers can check the relevant official source.