Belgium, and specifically the Brussels region, is a prospective candidate to accommodate the European Medicines Agency. This is presently located in London. Given that it is a European Union agency, it cannot stay in London post-Brexit. The federal and regional governments have reached an agreement to make location in the Brussels region a viable proposal at this stage.
This was scheduled to be formalised this morning (Monday) during a meeting of the Consultation Committee. This was due to start at 8 a.m. at the Prime Minister, Charles Michel's, official residence.
Another conflict of interest which has arisen also features on the agenda, for the first time, in a formal manner. This involves the Flemish region's disagreement regarding a recent decision of the Brussels government. The Brussels government has stated categorically that it will no longer tolerate even minor noise nuisance offences committed by airlines operating at Brussels Airport.
These are measured in relation to the Brussels government's noise standards adopted in 1999.
In addition, this matter will also be in the spotlight of a meeting of the transport and environment ministers organised in the same location, as part of resolving this issue. The latter meeting will review all of the meeting outcomes of the various related working groups held over the last three weeks.
Faced with the persistent deadlock in the matter, these same ministers decided on February 23rd to entrust to these working groups the task of making objective decisions upon a multitude of parameters for the noise nuisance issue.
These issues have divided the Brussels and Flemish regions since the beginning of the 2000s and put the brakes on many a political career.
It has been confirmed by a number of sources close to the various governments involved that no definite decisions are expected to be made on this issue today.
The Brussels Times
