News

Flanders approves trade agreement with Canada

2 March 2018

The Flemish Government has definitively approved the CETA trade agreement with Canada. This approval has put Flemish Minister-President Geert Bourgeois over the moon. “This is the best signal to all our trading partners, and Canada in particular, that Flanders is an open economy that doesn’t put up …

No solidarity without responsibility

1 March 2018

Europe must review the regulations concerning state aid to the banking sector. The taxpayer is still coughing up considerable sums for banking mismanagement. That’s the message in a report critical of the European banking union. The author of that report is MEP Sander Loones: “Although growth in …

A half-hearted fight against social dumping

1 March 2018

The new European regulations against social dumping are a step in the right direction. From now on, an Eastern European construction worker must be paid the same as his or her Flemish counterpart. However, the fight is only being half fought, according to MEPs Helga Stevens and Mark Demesmaeker …

Simpler and more secure labour migration with the “permis unique”

28 February 2018

Foreign workers who want to reside in Belgium in order to work will from now on be issued with a single combined permit. In this regard, the federal government and the regions have concluded a cooperation agreement. With the “permis unique”, Belgium is aligning itself with the European legislation …

From disposable to recyclable

27 February 2018

For the first time, the EU is grounding its ambition to halve food waste by 2030 in tangible legislation. We are evolving from a disposable model to a recycling model. MEP Mark Demesmaeker was one of those who had a seat at the negotiating table and he looks back with satisfaction: “It’s a great …

Getting budgetary affairs in order after Brexit

22 February 2018

Fewer members in the club means fewer membership fees to work with. That’s the opinion of MEP Sander Loones on the deficit that Brexit will cause in the European budget. The Budget Commission of the European Parliament wants to make up that deficit with a higher contribution from the remaining …

You are here