News

No sale of tobacco to people under 18

18 January 2016

The N-VA has readied a bill that increases the age from which tobacco products may be purchased from 16 to 18. “While the global number of smokers is in gradual decline, the number of young people that start smoking is on the increase. Increasing the legal age is intended to further discourage them …

Extra Flemish integration programmes in Brussels

14 January 2016

As a result of the asylum crisis, the Flemish Minister for Civic Integration, Liesbeth Homans invests in 2,400 extra civic integration programmes in Brussels. "That will bring the total to a capacity of 5,400 civic integration programmes via the Brussels reception agency for integration," Flemish …

Asylum policy: strict but fair

12 January 2016

After the recent spate of sexual assaults and robberies in Cologne and other German cities, German Chancellor Angela Merkel wishes to tighten asylum legislation. Whoever is sentenced, even if only conditional, will no longer be welcome in Germany as an asylum seeker. This judgement is presently …

Asylum applications by Iraqis dropped by 85 percent

6 January 2016

In 2015, the number of Iraqis voluntarily returning to their country of origin increased by nearly twenty-fold. At the same time, the number of Iraqis applying for asylum dropped by 85 percent in three months time. This is thanks to the information campaigns which State Secretary for Asylum and …

No export of weapons from Flanders to Saudi-Arabia

6 January 2016

The Flemish Prime Minister Geert Bourgeois has refused a permit for delivery of military equipment to Saudi-Arabia. The refusal is based on the country's involvement in the war in Yemen. By doing so the Flemish Government unequivocally shoulders its responsibility. Bourgeois makes word good …

Government reforms military and police

23 December 2015

At the tail end of 2015, the Belgian government has concluded a number of structural and substantial agreements for several key areas, such as security and defence. More specifically, it concerns the future of the military and the core tasks of the police. In the future plan for Defence, 9.2 …

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