News

Theo Francken and Sander Loones’ foreign visit: “Switzerland is showing the way out of the Belgian quagmire”

21 June 2023

Belgium is in an institutional tangle, runs disastrous budget figures and can no longer be thoroughly reformed. Is that the case in all federal countries? MPs Theo Francken and Sander Loones went to Switzerland for a two-day study trip. “Why Switzerland? Here, governance starts from the …

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FIT succeeds in attracting 110 foreign investors in the aftermath of Brexit

15 June 2023
Brexit

Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT) has convinced 110 foreign companies that had doubts about investment plans in Great Britain in the aftermath of Brexit to invest in Flanders. This is good for a total investment amount of EUR 2.5 billion and 3,524 extra jobs. Moreover, the number of jobs lost at …

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“Belgium demeans itself worldwide after the mayor of Tehran visits”

15 June 2023
Peter De Roover

The mayor of Tehran visited Brussels following an international conference and apparently at the invitation of Brussels Secretary of State Pascal Smet (Vooruit party). “Incomprehensible,” says N-VA federal group chair Peter De Roover. “Barely a few weeks after the humiliating exchange with the …

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The EU must be tougher on spyware abuse

15 June 2023

The European Parliament approved a package of recommendations for a tougher approach to tackle spyware abuse. The Pega Committee of Inquiry set up last year has identified the problematic use of Pegasus spying software within the EU and wants to implement reforms to prevent this in the future. “The …

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New European Drugs Agency to step up the fight against drugs

13 June 2023
Assita Kanko

The European Parliament and the Member States have reached an agreement on setting up a European Drugs Agency with a strong mandate to step up the fight against drugs. MEP Assita Kanko is one of the negotiators of this regulation and emphasises the need for an effective agency at the European level …

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Brussels’ compliance with language legislation is worsening year after year

13 June 2023

The latest language report by the Brussels Vice-Governor shows that compliance with language legislation by Brussels local authorities is worsening significantly once again. The managerial positions have been filled equally in barely two of the 19 municipalities and in three of the 19 Public Social …

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