According to Le Soir and RTBF, Belgian MP Marie Arena was questioned Friday morning by investigators involved in the so-called Qatargate corruption scandal in the European Parliament. The Socialist Party (PS) lawmaker is being questioned as a suspect but has not been arrested. This is because a warrant for their arrest cannot be issued unless their parliamentary privileges have been lifted. Arena has been arrested several times due to his close ties to former MEP Antonio Panzeri, the ringleader of the Qatargate scandal. According to Le Soir, the Federal Prosecutor’s…
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Brussels is about to have a “small revolution” in taxes
Brussels is about to undergo a “small revolution” in the way it taxes real estate in the metropolitan area. This change will not only simplify the complex taxation process, but could also revitalize neighborhoods. Until now, buildings in all locations and for all uses have been subject to the same property taxes in the metropolitan area. The system currently in place is based on a local land registry created in 1975, which means that a restaurateur in Grand-Place, a clothing store owner in Frazee, and a landlord with three rental…
Read MoreBelgian used Car market continues to grow
According to data released by the mobility federation Traxio, used car registrations in Belgium increased by 8.4% in January, reaching 61,908 units. Traxio calls this growth “remarkable,” noting in particular the success already achieved in 2023. The used car market has been consistently improving and is expected to remain high. The federation noted that several important factors have contributed to the good performance of the used car market. These include the affordability of used car prices, which declined slightly at the beginning of the year. Gasoline engines continue to account…
Read MoreBelgian High-Tech Industry Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 38% Since 2008
Belgian high-tech companies have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 38% since 2008, while at the same time achieving impressive growth of about 26%, reports the Belgian employers’ association Agoria. In its latest review of the “Technology for a Better World” report, launched two years ago to monitor the sustainability efforts of these companies, Agoria highlights that the domestic high-tech industry currently accounts for just 3.6% of the greenhouse gas emissions from all Belgian business activities . This figure is notably low considering that the high-tech industry accounts for more…
Read MoreFrench Shipping Company CMA-CGM Halts Red Sea Transit Again
French shipping company CMA-CGM has again suspended its vessels transiting the Red Sea due to attacks by Houthi rebels. The decision was made Friday and will remain in effect “until further notice” to reduce risk, it said. The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who control most of Yemen, have frequently targeted vessels believed to have ties to Israel. They claim their attacks are in retaliation for Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. CMA-CGM, like several other shipping companies, suspended its service through the Red Sea on December 16 and later resumed operations on December…
Read MoreOver 3,000 Commercial Properties Vanish in Belgium
In the past year, Belgium has experienced a significant reduction in the number of commercial properties, resulting in a corresponding decrease in vacancy rates. The disappearance of retail from the urban landscape is a growing trend, evident in the latest statistics. Over the last year, more than 3,000 commercial buildings have vanished from the market, with half of them belonging to the retail sector. Many of these properties have undergone transformations, being repurposed into residential spaces, offices, or different establishments. The reduction in the number of commercial buildings has contributed…
Read MoreBelgium ranks in the top 5 with an annual gross income countries
What is the comparison of average annual wages across Europe? Belgium ranks in the top 5 with an annual gross income exceeding 60,000 euros. While worker regulations in Europe generally prioritize individual working conditions and rights, substantial variations in wages persist among EU Member States, influenced by various factors. In 2022, Iceland recorded an average annual wage of around 73,000 euros gross, whereas Greece reported a significantly lower figure of about 24,000 euros gross. As per Statista, a statistical database providing market and consumer data, the average annual wage across…
Read MoreCourt of Justice: Belgium must reclaim taxes from multinational corporations
Belgium must still reclaim hundreds of millions of euros in taxes from approximately 55 multinational companies. The exemptions that the country granted to the companies amounted to prohibited state aid. That’s the ruling of the European Court. The verdict puts an end to a long-standing issue. In 2016, the European Commission urged Belgium to collect 700 to 900 million euros from the companies, claiming that they had unlawfully benefited from the tax measures. Belgium contested this and initially won the case. However, after a referral through an appeal, the Court…
Read MoreWhy savings rates in Belgium are so low?
Dutch savings banks often offer significantly higher interest rates in Germany than to savers in the Netherlands. In Belgium, on the other hand, savings rates are much lower. Why is it so? For example, Dutch customers of ING receive a 1.25 percent interest rate on their savings accounts. In Germany, savers receive a 3.5 percent interest rate, as calculated by the comparison website Geld.nl. One reason for the high interest rates is that there are many more different savings banks active in Germany than in the Netherlands. “Banks have more…
Read MoreLess than 2 percent of centi-millionaires store value in crypto
When it comes to fiat currency, there are 9,630 centi-millionaires on Earth. They all have a net worth of at least $100 million. Only 182 people on our planet with more than $100 million in crypto According to a recent study by the financial advisory group Henley and Partners, dozens of global crypto entrepreneurs are now centi-millionaires. Nearly half of them have amassed their wealth through holding or trading Bitcoin (BTC), the most valuable cryptocurrency in terms of market capitalization. “This report, unique of its kind, contains exclusive statistics on…
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