The so-called "month without sanction" is a strike initiative planned by four police unions in protest against the federal government.

The four police unions, VSOA, NSPV, ACV and ACOD, have asked their members to act in a "non-repressive manner" towards traffic and parking violations in Belgium from Thursday, according to daily newspapers Het Laatste Nieuws and Sudinfo.

These protests against the Belgian federal government are primarily fuelled by the scrapping of the agreed salary increase for police officers. The unions are also objecting to the end of lighter workloads for police officers coming to the end of their careers and retiring at 59, which will be scrapped in 2023.

Police officers joining the "month without sanction" will not issue any parking or traffic fines from 15 December to 15 January. They will also reduce the number of breathalyser tests for suspected drunk drivers, while officers at airports may also strike as part of the protests. "If necessary, we will continue until 2024," warned the unions in a statement.