> Over-indebtedness information & advisory service (SICS) > Background
 

Background

In July 1991, the Luxembourg Government, concerned about the problem of household over-indebtedness in the Grand Duchy, set up an interministerial commission to study the scale of the problem.

In its final report, this commission proposed the setting up of four intervention instruments: a consultation service, a national commission to examine over-indebtedness files, a permanent observatory and the organisation of preventive measures.

In July 1992, the Government endorsed these proposals and subsequently the management of the advisory service was entrusted to the coordinating committee of the following two bodies, which agreed to alternate the chairmanship every three years:

  • The Ligue luxembourgeoise de Prévention et d'Action médico-sociales, founded in 1908, with a civil personality and recognised as being of public utility.
  • The Luxembourg Red Cross, founded in 1914, is a private organisation with a civil personality recognised as being of public utility.

In January 1993, the coordination committee for the above-mentioned works set up a management committee composed of representatives of the following six organisations:

  • The Ministry of the Family and Solidarity
  • The Luxembourg Red Cross
  • The Ligue luxembourgeoise de Prévention et d'Action médico-sociales
  • The Ministry of Social Security
  • The Luxembourg Consumers' Union
  • The Caritas Federation

The mission of this management committee is to set up a National Service for the Fight against Over-indebtedness.

In July 1993, the Service National de Lutte contre le Surendettement (National Service for the Fight against Over-indebtedness) was set up at the Centre médico-social à Luxembourg-Ville, 38, rue du Laboratoire.

On 23 October 1996, the service opened its regional reception office in Ettelbruck, which operates every Wednesday.

In November 1996, a cooperation agreement was concluded between the Luxembourg Government represented by the Ministry of the Family, the Asbl Inter-Actions Faubourgs, the Luxembourg Red Cross and the Ligue Luxembourgeoise de Prévention et d'Action médico-sociales, laying down the terms of cooperation in the organisation of the national service for combating over-indebtedness.

With the vote in Parliament on the law of 8 December 2000 on over-indebtedness, the service obtains a legal basis and its name is changed to Service d'Information et de Conseil en matière de Surendettement (SICS).