Category: EU

Snapchat introduces ‘European Union Controls’ in its settings for users in the EU, allowing them to deactivate feed personalization. The platform is implementing this change to comply with the Digital Services Act. Additionally, European users will have a clearer understanding of why Snapchat recommends certain content, and in cases of account suspension, the platform will provide more transparent explanations for the action, according to Snapchat. Furthermore, users will have the option to appeal against an account suspension or deletion. This feature is expected to be rolled out globally within a…

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Approximately half of the global population experiences water stress for at least one month each year. This could increase to around 60 percent by 2050. Belgium is among the countries with extremely high water stress, while the Netherlands fares considerably better. Belgium ranks 18th, to be precise. In contrast, the Netherlands holds a much lower position of 89, which is positive. These findings come from new data from the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas by the World Resources Institute (WRI). The top 25 countries in the ranking are characterized by extremely…

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Is an election year truly a lost cause for effective governance? With Belgium now in the midst of the run-in to the next national election, there are fears that little will get done as politicians focus on wooing voters rather than pushing through legislation. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo had once promised to continue working diligently until the elections draw near, dismissing any notion of slacking off. However, the failure of negotiations surrounding tax reform and some politically charged advertisements raised concerns that the campaign might overshadow government actions in…

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The Belgian government has given the green light for participation in the European SCAF program. In 2017, Germany and France initiated this program for a ‘Systeme de Combat Aérien du Futur’ (Future Combat Air System), and Spain also joined the group. Within the consortium, Belgium will hold the status of an ‘observer’ and will engage in technological research and aircraft development. Belgium’s participation will incur a cost of around 360 million euros. France, Germany, and Spain have previously pooled 3.2 billion euros to build a first prototype of a Next…

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The European Commission has put forth a proposal to amend Directive 2009/48/EC, commonly known as the ‘toys’ directive, which establishes standards for toys sold within the European market. Currently, the directive includes the ‘CE’ acronym on toys, signifying adherence to European social, environmental, health, and safety standards. However, certain risks have not been adequately addressed despite these efforts. A major concern emphasized by the European Commission revolves around “endocrine disruptors” present in some plastics used in toy manufacturing. Exposure to these chemicals, particularly in young children, can lead to health…

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On Friday, TikTok revealed its plans to adapt to new strict regulations imposed by the European Union. As a result, European users will gain the option to disable the automatic content display feature, which will enable them to avoid receiving personalized video recommendations that critics argue can be addictive. Specifically, TikTok will implement the ability for users to turn off the ‘For You’ feature, which tailors video content based on individual interests. Instead, users will be shown videos that are popular on a global scale or relevant to their geographic…

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The European partners of the SafeOnline Initiative (ESOI) are launching a ready-to-use toolkit for European organisations that want to help parents to improve their children’s online safety, the ChildFocus Foundation announced on Monday. Under the name of ‘SafeOnline Prototype’ and with the support of ChildFocus, this video guide provides all the practical information needed to develop a digital safety training project. With more than 2,000 educators sensitised in 2022 in five countries, ESOI aims to inform parents on how to address good digital practices with their children, in a context…

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EU Member States are eager to introduce a ban on the destruction of unsold clothing and shoes, the ministers responsible agreed at a European Council meeting in Brussels on Monday. The ban would help to reduce the waste mountain in the textile sector as well as increase the reusing and recycling of clothes. Belgium was one of the Member States that had pushed for the ban. “This agreement will accelerate the transition to a more sustainable economy, critical to the circular economy. It also contains bans on destroying other items…

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Ukraine is a major grain exporter, but due to the war in the country, this export was endangered. Normally, it passes through the Black Sea, but Russia occupies Ukrainian ports and impedes the passage of ships. Therefore, at the beginning of the war, grain got stuck. The European Commission then temporarily removed import duties on Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products. From now on, grain could be imported tax-free overland into the EU, and transported from there to the rest of the world, especially to Africa and the Middle East….

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The European Parliament “urged” the Commission on Tuesday to propose a binding methane emissions reduction target – including petrochemicals – by the end of 2025 for all relevant sectors. Whilst there is already an EU strategy in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and very specific legislation to reduce CO2 emissions – there is still no EU legislation to reduce methane emissions specifically. However, the warming effect of this gas over 20 years is 80 times more powerful than that of carbon dioxide, stressed Environment Committee chair Pascal Canfin…

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