n football, action in the top flight has come to a close for this year. Union are the proud leaders, while Beerschot are in dire straits with 21 of the 34 days of play of the normal competition behind us. The top flight, dubbed the Jupiler Pro League, resumes on 14 January. Beerschot were downed 0-7 at home by in-form Anderlecht yesterday. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing that no spcectators were allowed at the Kiel, Beerschot’s home ground in Antwerp, some said after the match. Everything that can go…
Read MoreDay: January 1, 2022
Internal issues aside, Slovenia’s EU presidency a ‘success’
During its six-month EU presidency, Slovenia successfully led the process of adopting European legislation, but that has been somewhat overshadowed by concerns from Brussels about the rule of law in Slovenia, particularly the government’s attitude towards the media and its failure to appoint the European delegated prosecutors. “Slovenia’s presidency has seen a number of achievements – successful coordination among EU member states and negotiations with the European Parliament on behalf of the Council,” said Sabina Lange, senior lecturer at the European Institute of Public Administration and Associate Professor of International…
Read MorePolice in Antwerp targeted with fireworks during New Year’s Eve
Antwerp police had to intervene in several places around the city on New Year’s Eve. In total, 58 people were arrested, according to Belga News Agency. Several fires were also set off throughout the city. In the commune of Berchem, modeps, cars and bus shelters were destroyed. Due to the widespread unrest, Antwerp police said they were unable to check whether all restaurants respected the mandatory closing time of 11 pm. “We believe this rule was well respected overall, because there were a lot of people on the streets after…
Read More2021 one of the rainiest year in history in Belgium
2021 was slightly colder than average in Belgium, according to observations by the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) in Uccle, Brussels. Globally however, the World Meteorological Organization noted that 2021 was the 6th warmest year in history, according to Belga News Agency. Throughout the year, temperatures did not exceed 29.5°C, RMI furthermore noted. A lower value than this was recorded only back in 1988. In addition, no heat waves were recorded, which ends a six-year heat wave streak. Heavy rain and floods The past year has also been characterized by high…
Read MoreWhy financial services are counting on digital trust
Electronic signatures could become more popular if proposed EU rulebook reforms pass, according to a paper published by the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology. Delano spoke with Lhoft’s Jérôme Verony about digital IDs in the financial sector. The European Commission has proposed changes to the EU’s 2018 regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions (known as eIDAS). The refinements could make digital IDs more widely used across the bloc and, coupled with an existing Luxembourg archiving law, could create a “competitive edge” for firms based in the…
Read MoreEU Central banks in the spotlight
Inflation, pandemic, geopolitics, sustainable finance… Four chief economists of the financial market sat down around a table, at the invitation of Paperjam, and shared their prospective analysis for the year 2022. Apart from inflation, the other issue that worries investors is the extremely low policy rates applied by central banks, which have to play both sides of the fence. The maintenance of monetary and financial equilibrium will largely depend on their decisions. Regular columnists at Paperjam and used to the exercise, Olivier Goemans, portfolio manager, advisory coordinator and head of…
Read MoreTwo decades on, euro can’t shake reputation as price driver
Europeans have been living with euro banknotes and coins for 20 years now, but many still point the finger at the single currency for covertly driving up consumer prices — despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. “The euro is a catastrophe, it’s catastrophic,” says Maria Napolitano, a 65-year-old Italian living in Frankfurt. “With 100 deutschmarks, you could fill up your shopping trolley. Now, 100 euros aren’t enough to fill two bags.” A deutschmark is roughly 50 eurocents. It’s an impression that is shared by many across the eurozone, from…
Read MoreOnly a quarter of Brussels restaurants open on New Year’s Eve
Only a quarter of Brussels’ restaurants are planning to be open on New Year’s Eve, compared to about half of them on a normal year. The estimate comes from the Brussels Catering Federation, Bruzz reports, and those who are opening are running into issues related to the current coronavirus restrictions, which include an early closing time and limited capacity. “At the moment I have about 35 reservations while I have room for 100 people.” Early closing times deter diners At Odette en Ville, owner Serge Litvine says a festive atmosphere…
Read MoreWoman in Liège bites the arm of police officer during New Year’s Eve
A woman was arrested on New Year’s Eve after biting the arm of a police officer, a spokesperson for the Liège Police office said on Saturday. Neighbours in an apartment building had called the police to complain about noise from one of the apartments. As police arrived on the scene, one of the women in the apartment bit the arm of one of the officers, according to Belga News Agency.
Read MoreECB plots stimulus exit as inflation looms
European Central Bank policymakers will gather on Thursday (16 December) for a crunch meeting, as soaring inflation heaps pressure on the bank to wind down its stimulus just as a new coronavirus variant threatens to derail the recovery. The Frankfurt-based institution is expected to confirm the planned end of its massive pandemic-era stimulus plan in March, currently hoovering up around €70 billion worth of assets every month. The €1.85 trillion pandemic emergency bond-buying programme (PEPP) is the ECB’s main crisis-fighting tool, aimed at keeping borrowing costs low to stoke economic…
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