European Commission: Belgium budget does not comply with EU rules

European Commission: Belgium budget does not comply with EU rules

With its budget for 2023, Belgium is partially outside the European lines. This is what the European Commission states in its analysis of the draft budget submitted a few weeks ago. Against the agreements, our country is allowing primary spending to rise too high. The Commission rejects the automatic indexation of civil servants ‘ salaries and benefits, and also criticises the broad energy support. There will be no sanctions, but the Commission does ask Belgium to ‘keep those expenses within limits’. For its analysis, the Commission relies on the policy…

Read More

EU economy now entering a “much more challenging phase,” says European Commission

EU economy now entering a “much more challenging phase,” says European Commission

After a strong first half of the year, the European Commission says the EU economy has now entered a “much more challenging phase.” The shocks unleashed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine are denting global demand and reinforcing global inflationary pressures, it says. The EU is among the most exposed advanced economies, due to its geographical proximity to the war and heavy reliance on gas imports from Russia. The energy crisis is eroding households’ purchasing power and weighing on production. Economic sentiment has fallen markedly. As a result, although…

Read More

World’s best vegetarian restaurants: Two Belgian establishments in top 10

World’s best vegetarian restaurants: Two Belgian establishments in top 10

We’re Smart – a Belgian organisation that highlights more ecological ways of shopping and eating out – has released this year’s Green Guide, which names the best vegetarian restaurants in the world. The top ten features two Belgian eateries. The gastronomic guide created by Belgian chef Frank Fol lists the top 100 finest vegetarian restaurants in the world, with the most recent edition being unveiled at the Barcelona Gastronomy Forum on Tuesday. While this year’s winner comes from the Netherlands (the Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen led by chef Emile van…

Read More

Threats made against Syrian embassy in Brussels

Threats made against Syrian embassy in Brussels

An investigation has been launched following threats made against Syria’s diplomatic representation in Brussels, the Brussels Prosecutor’s Office said on Thursday. According to sources familiar with the case, the Jordanian embassy received a letter written in Arabic on Tuesday evening with a message warning that an unknown group was going to “set fire to the Syrian Embassy” on Friday. These threats of an attack are now being investigated by local police. Similar threatening messages had recently been posted on the doors of buildings and vehicles in Anderlecht, signed by “Daesh…

Read More

Belgian labour law violates right to collective bargaining, says ILO

Belgian labour law violates right to collective bargaining, says ILO

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has determined that Belgian labour law, which sets strict limits on private sector wage increases, is incompatible with the right to collective bargaining. In an official report delivered by the organisation’s Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA), it was noted that Belgian labour law poses “a significant restriction on the ability of social partners to negotiate autonomously the evolution of the level of wages in the private sector”. The CFA further called on the Belgian Government to implement “necessary measures” to ensure that collective bargaining…

Read More

European Parliament wants to build its own hotel in Strasbourg

European Parliament wants to build its own hotel in Strasbourg

The president of the European Parliament wants to build a hotel for his own MEPs and their entourage. The hotel strengthens the many critics in their objections to the monthly relocation of the EP from Brussels to Strasbourg. With the arrival of the hotel, the Parliament would settle even more firmly in Staatsburg, much to the delight of France. Every month, the European Parliament, with staff, officials and journalists in its wake, departs for a few days from Brussels to the French city on the border with Germany. The dissatisfaction…

Read More

France caps tanking at 40 euro max

France caps tanking at 40 euro max

That doesn’t seem to be so bad, for 40 euros refueling. But there are hooks and eyes to it, especially if you have to drive through all of France. As you may have already read, There is turmoil when it comes to the availability of gasoline and diesel. The employees at Total Energy are angry and you know what angry French people like to do, right? Right, strike. And because of this, the country has been facing a huge shortage of fuels for quite some time. In some places, the…

Read More

Victims of human traffic or just a clever plan to grab some cash?

Victims of human traffic or just a clever plan to grab some cash?

A new wave of victims of human trafficking in Antwerp threatens to flood the already very tight shelter. Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA) is sounding the alarm at the Cabinet of Minister of welfare Hilde Crevits (CD&V). “Money is urgently needed.’ Last week, the Antwerp City Council sent a brand letter to the Cabinet of Flemish Minister of welfare Hilde Crevits (CD&V). A first letter had gone unanswered at the end of August. In it, the financial situation of the non-profit organization Payoke is called ‘without a doubt very…

Read More

EU economic confidence falls again

EU economic confidence falls again

The economic confidence of consumers and businesses in the European Union fell sharply again in september due to concerns about high inflation, the energy crisis and a recession. This was reported by the European Commission on the basis of its confidence index. Economic sentiment in the eurozone has also deteriorated. The Commission speaks of a significant deterioration in sentiment in all business sectors, namely industry, retail, services and construction. There was also another strikingly sharp drop in consumer confidence to a new low, says the commission. For example, the Central…

Read More

The next gold is butter

The next gold is butter

In the European Union, consumer prices of dairy products have risen significantly. The level of increase varies considerably between member states. The countries that stand out the most are Germany and France. Where prices rise the most in Germany, inflation lags behind in France. Dutch dairy prices are rising faster than the European average. The rise in the price of cheese (19.1%) will be particularly noticeable in the Netherlands, as half of all Dutch milk is processed into cheese. Of all dairy products, the price of butter is rising the…

Read More