News

A locally integrated security unit for each municipality

6 June 2017

Minister of Security and the Interior Jan Jambon is advocating increased efforts to set up local integrated security units (LIVC) in the fight against terror. Within the units, security services at the municipality level partner with education and youth assistance services, for example. “The …

Cautious initiative against social abuse in transport sector

1 June 2017

The European Commission wants to oblige Member States to check more frequently and more stringently for social abuse in the transport sector. “The importance for Flanders of the proposed measures is immense,” says MEP Mark Demesmaeker. The Flemish transport sector accounts for 5.3% of employment …

Facial scan should make repatriation of illegal immigrants easier

31 May 2017

In order to be able to identify illegal migrants more easily, the European Parliament wants to make structural improvements in the operation of Eurodac. This database already contains names, ID card numbers and fingerprints of asylum seekers. “Now it will be possible to store facial scans as well,” …

Europe investing too little in security and too much in Turkey

31 May 2017

In its draft budget for 2018, the European Union is planning to spend more than EUR 160 billion for the first time ever: a historical record. “While all Member States have to make do with less, for the EU it is still a story of more, more, more. I am mystified as to how that will strengthen support …

Europe opts for crude free Wi-Fi policy costing EUR 120 million

30 May 2017

As from September, the European Union will be offering free Wi-Fi in 6,000 to 8,000 municipalities. The European Parliament and Council have reached an agreement in this regard. MEP Anneleen Van Bossuyt, who is following up this dossier on behalf of the ECR group, finds it inexplicable that this …

EU research funds not to be distributed on a geographic basis