Ioana Plesea

Three in ten Belgians cross the border to shop

Cross-border shopping may continue to rise in 2023, as prices are growing more slowly in France than in Belgium.

Belgian development aid ‘contaminated with white saviour complex’, new study finds

Colonialism, self-interest and racism still mark Belgian development aid cooperation, shows study commissioned by the Ministry of Development Cooperation.

'We are going backwards': UN chief warns EU leaders of severe food insecurity

Belarussian fertilisers are under EU sanctions since 2021; Russian fertiliser has also been blocked by sanctions.

New EU greenwashing rules watered down by industry influence

A growing number of companies call their products "green", "bio" or "organic" – claims that go unchecked. Regulation to end this now lacks teeth.

Right to repair: EU wants to make it easier to fix household appliances

"The repairs could bring total savings of €176 billion or €25 per consumer per year," says the EU commissioner for Justice.

'Vampiric' water use will cause global crisis, UN warns

"Unsustainable water use, pollution and unchecked global warming are draining humanity’s lifeblood, drop by drop.”

Half of Belgians avoid the dentist due to high costs

The overall spending of Belgian patients on dental care more than doubled between 2008 and 2019.

Belgium announces new prisons to tackle 'catastrophic' detention system

“Sometimes we have to choose between running the showers or the heating, 60% of cells are infested with bedbugs, but overcrowding prevents proper sanitation.”

New IPCC report: A grim and final warning on climate action

The planet is nearing catastrophic levels of heating and immediate, radical action is required.

Italy: Government tells Milan to end recognition of same-sex parents

Italy's governing party has made surrogacy a battleground, with Prime Minister Meloni pledging to make it "a universal crime" in her campaign.

Electric vehicle charging points installed on streetlamps in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre

Streetlamp chargers are eight times less carbon intensive than standalone charging points as they can be easily integrated with existing infrastructure.

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