Authors and performing artists who currently receive unemployment benefits should bear in mind that their allowance may be reduced should their income from copyright and related rights (from collective management organisations, producers, publishers or other parties), – and/or income from self-employed activities in a secondary occupation- exceed a certain threshold. 

1. Changes to the cumulative threshold

• Before 2020: the annual ceiling was limited to €4,000.
• During the health crisis: the legislator temporarily suspended the reduction in benefits for two periods (from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2021 and from 1 January to 31 March 2022).
• Since the reform of the status of artists (end of 2022) and the creation of the Arts Work Commission, the ceiling has been raised for holders of an arts work certificate ‘plus’ or ‘starter’.

2. Current ceilings

• Arts work allowances:
• Income from copyright and related rights can be accumulated without any reduction in allowance up to an indexed maximum of €11,060.40 net per year.
• ‘Ordinary’ unemployment benefits (without a “plus” or ‘starter’ certificate):
• The threshold is set at €5,528.64 net or €11,057.28 gross.
• Advisory mandates (in a cultural sector body or the Arts Labour Commission):
• Income can be combined with benefits up to €2,133.28 per year.

👉 Good to know: income received as an heir or legatee of a deceased beneficiary has no impact on your benefits.

3. Calculation by the ONEM

Each year, the ONEM performs a calculation based on:

• your net taxable income in addition to your benefits,
• possibly over a period of three consecutive years.

This calculation may result in either:

• the payment of back benefits,
• or the obligation to repay part of the benefits received.

4. Practical tip

To find out the annual net income from copyright and related rights taken into account by the ONEM:

• consult your tax assessment notice,
• under the heading ‘Income from capital and movable property’,
• under the line ‘Income from the transfer of copyright’ (taxable total).

5. Useful resources

All detailed information is available on the ONEM website:

👉 Rules applicable to arts workers from 1 January 2024