News

No smart city without smart government

24 January 2017

When it took office in 2014, the Brussels government set itself the goal of getting the Brussels-Capital Region into the top five on the list of smart cities by the end of this legislature. “We’re about half-way through and progress is lamentable,” reveals Johan Van den Driessche, party leader in …

Flanders a model for new European waste legislation

24 January 2017

There has been a vote at the Environment Committee of the European Parliament on the new goals for the European waste policy. As a negotiator, MEP Mark Demesmaeker ensured a clear level of ambition: “By 2030, in Europe we must be recycling or preparing for re-use at least 70% of urban waste, while …

2016 a cracking investment year for Flanders

19 January 2017

In 2016 we were able to record 198 new investment projects in Flanders for investments amounting to 1.87 billion euros. At the same time, with the creation of 4,260 new jobs, employment stayed was on par with the high levels of 2013, 2014 and 2015. “The last of these was an exceptionally good one,” …

Open letter to the presidents of the EPP and ALDE Groups: "What a hullabaloo!"

19 January 2017

Mr. Weber, Mr. Verhofstadt, Antonio Tajani is the new President of the European Parliament. He would have lost had he not first distanced himself from your federalist plans. He has won the Presidency, but in the end the biggest loser was the European Parliament itself, dropping further in its …

European Parliament must serve the citizen

17 January 2017

MEP Helga Stevens has achieved the third-largest number of votes in the election for President of the European Parliament. Any way you look at it, she can look back on a successful, positive campaign: “I have been able to reach out to and persuade a great many people. In the service of our citizens …

Flemish Parliament equalises pensions

16 January 2017

In the Flemish Parliament, a new regulation concerning parliamentary pensions has been agreed. Just like in the other systems, MPs will from now on have to work for 45 years for a full pension and reach the age of 65 before they may draw their pension. “This is a reworking of the pension …

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