Stories from Brussels · Belgium

European Union officials have stated the bloc does not wish to resume dialogue with Russia and does not intend to offer concessions regarding Ukraine.

European Parliament Member Vernan Cartier stated that changes in US policy toward Russia could force the European Union to alter its own stance on Russia. Cartier noted that in February, EU Diplomat Akala expressed that the European Union does not wish to act alone.

The European Union is expected to implement a ban on plastic film wrapping services for suitcases at airports. The move aims to reduce plastic waste in travel hubs. The European Union intends to ban the disposal of unsold clothing to combat waste generated by fast-fashion and ultra-fast-fashion models. Manufacturers currently use disposal as a low-cost method for handling unsold inventory. This practice contributes to waste volumes despite the presence of second-hand markets. The move targets the industry's cycle of producing cheap, short-lived collections.

The Flemish transport company De Lijn is planning a major overhaul of school transport services to meet budget requirements. The restructuring specifically targets special education transport.

More women are working in Belgium today than ten years ago. However, Belgium is losing ground compared to other European countries. A clear gap has emerged since 2015, particularly among women with children. The source noted that Belgian women previously met the European average in 2015. Belgium's labor participation rate is falling behind the European average. While women's participation helped maintain a level closer to the European mean in the past, both men and women in Belgium now show a lag compared to the rest of Europe. The report notes that the gap for men was already present before women's participation rates also declined. A report analyzed data for approximately 1.4 million women working in the private sector between 2016 and 2025. According to the findings, 3.7% of women leave their jobs in the first month after childbirth.

Belgium is the only country in Western Europe that has not yet begun rebuilding its gas reserves, according to a report. While winter is not imminent, the delay was noted in a recent announcement. Fluctis stated that the situation is not exceptional.

Premiums for European aluminium billets have doubled following supply disruptions caused by the war in Iran.

The European Parliament is calling for new common taxes to fund shared agricultural policies and cohesion funds. Parliament President Roberta Metsola said the need for a firm community stance to secure fresh funding to repay existing debts. One proposal involves implementing a digital tax on technology companies. Negotiations regarding the EU budget are expected to continue. The EU Parliament is calling for a minimum tax within the digital space to ensure compliance in the internal market. Parliamentary members are calling for the strict application of digital services regulations to protect minors from online abuse. The discussion focuses on addressing illegal content, including deepfakes and intimate images distributed without consent. Lawmakers are advocating for a standard where content deemed illegal offline is also treated as illegal online.

Germany and Morocco are discussing a migration partnership, though concrete effects have been limited so far. The meeting involves designated head of government Motjo in Brussels to discuss the release of frozen EU funds.

Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of the EU Copernicus program, stated that parts of Europe extending into the Arctic are warming faster than the rest of the world. The report includes actionable findings intended to inform political decisions. Observations show a succession of droughts since 2017, a pattern previously expected in models only by 2040-2050. Heatwaves have also been increasingly noted across Europe since 2015. The succession of heatwaves has occurred earlier than the 2030-2040 projections previously anticipated. Researchers recommend reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting lifestyles to the warmer climate. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense, with long-lasting heatwaves observed from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle in 2025. In 2025, at least 95% of the European continent experienced temperatures above the seasonal norm.