The integration department of the City of Ghent is co-operating with the University College Ghent (HoGent) to set up a container classroom on a caravan terrain in the city. The city is investing €10,000 on the classroom for children of travelling communities, mostly Roma people, who have set up...

Brussels’ top book fair, the Foire du livre de Bruxelles , boasts an English-language slant this year with guest country the UK hosting the international pavilion. With the recent publication of his Brussels-set novel Expo 58, Jonathan Coe heads a delegation of writers that include Antony Beevor,...

While living together in a long-term relationship is already a feat for many, the act takes on new proportions for international couples wanting to build a life together in Belgium. That is because a third party must be welcomed into the love boat: the Belgian cohabitation visa. This cohabitation...

Brussels has come in 21st place in the new report on most-liveable cities for expats, released by Mercer human resources and financial services. Mercer analysed 39 factors important for expatriates, like housing, health services, transport and education. Mercer’s “Quality of living” reports are...

Brussels-Capital Region’s public works minister, Brigitte Grouwels, hopes to increase residents’ participation in the region by focusing on its 100 neighbourhoods. Launching a new project called Wiki’Hood yesterday, she said she wants to improve city life by encouraging citizens to play a more...

Didier Bellens, the former CEO of state-controlled telecoms company Belgacom who was removed from his post last autumn, has demanded €5 million in damages for what his lawyer described as “a politically motivated dismissal”. According to Bellens’ own calculation, his contract still had one year...

After a week of increased flu activity, Belgium fulfilled all the necessary criteria and a flu epidemic was officially declared earlier this week by the National Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP). “Last week, 230 out of 100,000 residents visited a doctor to treat flu-like symptoms,”...

Soon locals and visitors alike will experience improved public transport on the Belgian coast, as well as in Flanders’ two largest cities – Ghent and Antwerp. The Flemish government has announced a public tender for the renovation of De Lijn trams in these three areas as well as new trams. Flemish...