Poland is infringing European law on the protection of natural sites by ordering logging in the Bialowieza Forest, one of the last primeval forests in Europe. The Judge-Advocate General made this ruling, in the European Court of Justice, on Tuesday. The judge’s conclusions which are generally followed by the ECJ, held that the logging ordered by the Polish government on health grounds are unjustified, and are likely to simply “damage” the reproduction sites of protected species. In November, the ECJ had already prohibited Poland from cutting down trees – unless…
Read MoreDay: February 21, 2018
EU “ready to react” if US imposes trade restrictions
The European Union is “ready to react swiftly and appropriately” if the United States takes trade measures that would affect European industry, a spokesperson of the European Commission said on Tuesday. “We stand ready to react swiftly and appropriately in case our exports are affected by any restrictive trade measure from the United States,” spokesman Margaritis Schinas said at the Commission’s daily press conference. “We would be taking appropriate measures to defend EU industry,” he stressed, adding however, “we are not in a trade war”. The Trump administration has drawn…
Read MoreNext state bonds coupon will be 0.90%, the highest since 09/2015
The next issue of State bonds will be on the 4th of March and will have a coupon of 0.90%, Belgium’s Debt Agency announced on Tuesday. This is the highest rate for the bonds, which mature in 10 years, since the September 2015 issue. The two preceding issues, in December 2017 and September 2017, had had much lower coupons: 0.50% and 0.65% respectively. The period for purchasing the bonds will be from the 22nd of February to the 2nd of March inclusive. Payment will need to be made on Monday…
Read MoreBelgian football federation launches new campaign
The Belgian football federation, URBSFA, on Friday launched a new campaign, #REDTOGETHER, to highlight and tap into the unifying power of soccer. A video spot titled “Jamais seul, toujours ensemble” [‘Never alone, always together’] marks the official launch of the campaign. “It’s not only the Red Devils who are highlighted, but also the other actors involved in our football: the Red Flames (women’s national team), the Hopes (under 21s), the national futsal teams, the various national youth teams, the national handifoot teams, the Belgian Homeless Devils and Flames, and staff,…
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