The federal ministry of defence has called on the government to increase its military spending by €157 million. The defence budget currently represents 0.66 percent of gross domestic product, but has to rise to 0.7 percent to meet the country’s international obligations, the ministry says. The...

On August 1, 2014, a total of 7,076,238 vehicles were registered in Belgium, a record high, writes De Standaard based on figures from the FPS Economy. In the last ten years, the number of vehicles registered in Belgium went up by more than 1 million, an increase of 16%. The registered vehicles are...

In a survey of more than 2,000 employees conducted by HR services provider Securex, 16% of workers in Belgium faced some type of aggression at work in 2013 . In more than half the cases, the aggression came from external parties. In a quarter of the cases, the aggression came from one specific...

The federal transport mobility ministry has budget problems and is unable to pay expected subsidies to a number of companies, including rail freight company NMBS Logistics and Brussels Airlines. The package of subsidies concerned comes to €64 million. The three Belgian airlines are due €19 million...

Consumer organisations can now organise class action suits against a company in cases where many people have suffered the same damages. The new lawsuits cover only breaches of Belgian or European law, or breach of contract. Other civil complaints are not admitted. Under the new law, if a judge...

It’s amazing what a World Cup can do. Just 10 weeks ago, the Red Devils were untested as a team, rated by connoisseurs of the game but still seen as dark horses as they approached their first major international tournament for 12 years. But after being shaded by Argentina in the quarter-finals in...

This morning there was still speculation about whether or not the Belgian Football Association would postpone the football match between Israel and the Belgian Red Devils, scheduled for September 9. The Association has since officially confirmed that the first qualifying match for the European...

Local pear growers hit by the Russian boycott are set to receive aid from EU funds, Flanders’ agriculture minister Joke Schauvliege said yesterday. She added that the precise amount of compensation would possibly be announced today by the European Commission. EU agriculture commissioner Dacian...

Two Bruges police officers have filed a criminal complaint against a man who filmed them with his phone as they interviewed a number of people on a bar terrace in the city, despite being asked to stop. The man not only continued filming, he also uploaded the recording of the incident to YouTube,...