Good afternoon!
Much space will be taken up for the rest of the week with talk about the EU summit, frozen assets and Mercosur, I'm sure – whether there will be answers is another matter. So I invite you today to have a read of our stories, focusing more on Belgium, before we get into more global affairs!
With transatlantic relationships top of the agenda, watch out for an exclusive interview we have tomorrow in The Brussels Times with someone who has intimate knowledge of Donald Trump's agenda and plans regarding Belgium and the EU for the coming years.
In the meantime, don't forget that tonight, together with our friends at Full Circle House, we are hosting our Christmas Quiz. There will be prizes of course. Register here, and we hope to see you there!
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. What do Belgians think about using Russian assets to fund Ukraine?
The ‘Grand Barometer’ poll suggests strong support for the Belgian government’s position. Read more.
2. Farmers protest this week: 10,000 expected in Brussels to denounce EU policy
Farmers from all 27 EU Member States will take to the streets of Brussels – a "historic" moment, the organisation told The Brussels Times. Read more.
3. Phone belonging to missing Belgian woman found in Tasmania
Céline Cremer, 31, went missing in June 2023 while travelling in Australia. Read more.
4. Brussels to host 24-hour dance marathon on NYE
One of the city's most iconic clubs is organising a party that begins at midnight on New Year's Eve and ends on 2 January. Read more.
5. Brussels no longer has the funds to maintain its own roads
The Brussels-Capital Region spent €3.2 million on resurfacing its regional roads last year – an amount that is well below its own targets. Read more.
6. What do Belgian investors consider to be the most profitable investment in 2026?
The latest ING barometer was released on Tuesday. Read more.
7. At least half of all glaciers will disappear by 2100
Up to 4,000 glaciers per year could vanish due to climate change, Swiss researchers warn in a study. Read more.
