The Brussels Times

'Cannot be repeated': Migration Minister called on to find solution for migrant crisis

Belgium's Migration Minister said that what happened at the Brussels' reception centre "cannot be repeated," but failed to offer concrete solutions to solve this issue.

Number of working hours dropped by 8.5% in pandemic-driven 2020

The data shows that the unskilled and least qualified workers saw the greatest drop in their work hours during the pandemic.

Fuel prices are dropping, but for how long?

Both petrol and diesel have decreased in price this summer, but will this continue and will we ever see the same prices as before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

'They turned us into savages': Russian soldier reveals rot in the army

The world has received an uncensored account of the Russian trenches in Ukraine from a Russian dissident.

Back to university: 1,700 VUB students still waiting to find rooms

Students in Brussels pay an average of €490 for a room.

How tiny houses became a big business

The tiny house movement, the trend towards very small homes and a simpler, less cluttered lifestyle, has now reached Belgium.

Le Chou's week in review

Serbian Prez Is No James Bond | Berlusconi's Creepy Portrait | Musk Man Utd Slight

PromotedThe all-new Subaru Solterra - are you ready for an electric adventure?

Controlled blackouts: France braces for winter electricity shortage

Though controlled blackouts sound drastic, they help prevent unexpected outages which would have far more serious consequences and even affect other countries.

EU facilitated dialogue fails to achieve agreement between Kosovo and Serbia

"There will be no EU accession for neither Serbia nor Kosovo as long as there is no overall settlement between them."

The end of paper invoices? Belgium looks to switch to digital systems

For the first time, the number of digital invoices sent to the government surpassed the number of paper ones, showing they are "going out of fashion."

Some 1,700 Covid-19 infections per day, fewer than 90 hospitalisations

The number of new Covid-19 infections dropped to the lowest level since the start of June this year, dropping to 1,706 per day.

Belgium could tighten water-saving measures from September

The Drought Committee continues to reiterate its advice to sectors, governments and citizens to “maximally reduce” their water consumption.

EU Tracker

On the agenda

August 26 - NATO milestone
Finland, Sweden, Turkey officials meet for counter-terrorism discussion, organised under terms of the two NATO-aspiring nations’ deal with Ankara. It is an important step to secure Turkey’s ratification of their NATO bid.
September 1 - Green Deal D-Day
EU lawmakers and governments have now brokered their negotiating positions on a lot of the main Green Deal updates. That means that talks between them and the Commission can now start. The bulk of this work will start in September.
September 9 - Finance ministers meet
Finance ministers meeting, agenda here.
October 3 - Eurogroup meeting
Eurogroup meeting agenda here.
October 6 - EU Presidency summit.
Czech EU presidency Council summit.
October 11 - Energy chiefs meet
Energy ministers meet for an informal summit. Preparing for the winter heating season will likely be the main item on the agenda.
October 18 - Commission to-do list
EU Commission publishes its work programme for 2023.
October 18 - Agri meet
EU farm ministers meet for a two-day agricultural summit. Details here.
October 20 - EUCO comes back
Full EUCO summit. Meeting page here.
October 26 - Zero pollution
Commission publishes its zero pollution package of rules and regulations.
November 30 - Recycle, reuse, recycle again
European Commission publishes its updated circular economy package.
December 1 - EU-US TTC
The next round of the EU-US trade and technology council is scheduled for December.
December 31 - Czech out time
Czechia hands over the reins of the EU presidency to Sweden.