Stories from Belgium

European Parliament MEP Lídia Pereira is advocating for increased financial literacy and the creation of a European quality seal to distinguish legitimate financial influencers on social media.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution reaffirming solidarity with the Ukrainian people and authorities. The document calls for the release of all detained civilians and illegally adopted children.

Belgian radio broadcasters have issued a call to European authorities to make FM and DAB+ receivers mandatory in all new vehicles registered within the European Union. The move aims to ensure radio access remains reliable during internet network saturation.

A large exhibition hall in Mons is being prepared to host an upcoming trial starting Monday. The venue will include several hundred seats for the public and screens for viewing debates.

The European Union intends to address current semiconductor shortages by investing directly in chip factories. Semiconductor analyst J. Goldberg of Seaport Research noted this trend poses a disruption risk to Nvidia. This follows a previous initiative that involved 86 billion euros in combined public and private funding. The move aims to address supply chain vulnerabilities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic when companies faced order cancellations and production delays. The goal is to establish more robust European chip production capabilities. The European Union has passed a general ban on virtual media for children under the age of 15. Meta responded to preliminary findings from the European Commission regarding this matter. A Meta spokesperson stated that Instagram and Facebook are designed for users aged 13 and older.

An investigation is examining allegations that 13 members of parliament illegally obtained hundreds of millions of euros in EU agricultural subsidies. The case involves intercepted phone calls with the state procurement agency, OPGP, where politicians allegedly requested favors. Accusations suggest the funds were used for non-existent livestock or agricultural land to benefit specific constituencies. The investigation explores whether the officials incited embezzlement by exploiting their parliamentary immunity.

A criminal gang allegedly evaded 2 million euros in taxes through the sale of counterfeit cigarettes. A police investigation is looking into a scheme where advantages were offered via social media to facilitate cancellations.

Belgian Energy Minister Mathieu Bé announced an assessment will be conducted to explore various energy policy options. This includes the Tihange 1 reactor, where the removal of key control elements will be halted to allow for potential reactivation.

The European Commission is focusing on Apple regarding platform restrictions. TikTok is also under monitoring concerning protection measures for young users. These investigations are part of broader EU regulatory oversight.

Finance ministers across the 27 European Union member states are expressing opposition to a proposal to transfer a portion of tobacco excise taxes to Brussels. The plan would involve redirecting revenues from products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.