Bonjour, goedemiddag and Guten Tag,
Welcome to Belgium in Brief, your daily round-up of the most important stories happening in Brussels and beyond.
We start today with a story from Léa Huppe on the changes to the Schuman roundabout. Residents of Brussels' European quarter have filed a petition calling for significant changes to the newly redesigned square, opposing what they describe as a "technocratic design" and an "unwelcoming concrete esplanade."
The residents expressed their criticism during the public consultations for the design, but say they were ignored in a "blatant failure of participatory democracy."
Schuman is immensely unpopular, with the lack of greenery and infrastructure for pedestrians unifying Brussels residents in their criticism of the square.
The petition does not call for reviving the discarded canopy project, as this would be costly in times when governments have to count every euro twice.
Find out more about the proposed changes to the roundabout here.
As the police force in Brussels mourns the death of their colleague Nordine, who was shot on duty on Monday, Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès and general prosecutor of Brussels Frédéric Van Leeuw are publicly disagreeing about the soon-to-be-appointed drug commissioner for the capital.
Van Leeuw called the idea of having a dedicated commissioner for the capital "laughable," as the position already exists on the Federal level and would lead to more work for the already strained police force in the capital.
Dilliès described the position as the missing link in the fight against drug crimes in Brussels, as the region does not have a coordinating function to combat drug trafficking.
Our reporter Maïthé Chini has the story here.
Belgian businesses are facing a wave of cyberattacks, as the number of reported incidents in the first nine months of this year already exceeds the total number for 2025.
On average, two incidents are reported per day, with AI making the attacks faster and more sophisticated.
The figures come as several major European companies have recently been targeted by cyberattacks.
As always, the Brussels Times wishes you a lovely weekend. If you don't have any plans yet, make sure to check out our weekend guide to figure out what to do.
If you have comments, tips or suggestions, you can drop me an email at j.vandessel@brusselstimes.com.
À bientôt, tot ziens, Auf Wiedersehen,
Josse Van Dessel
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1. ‘Blatant failure’: Brussels residents launch petition to change Schuman roundabout
Residents of Brussels’ European Quarter are calling for a rethink of the recently redeveloped Schuman roundabout, criticising its lack of greenery, shade and seating. Read more.
2. ‘Anything but superfluous’: Brussels Minister-President doubles down on need for drug commissioner
The general prosecutor of Brussels, Frédéric Van Leeuw, called it "a laughable idea" to appoint a Brussels drug commissioner while a federal one is already in place Read more.
3. Two dead in Belgium after contracting West Nile virus
Two people infected with West Nile virus have died in Flanders, the Flemish Health Agency said on Thursday. Read more.
4. EU court says banks must refund phishing victims before proving negligence
Europe’s highest court has ruled that banks must immediately reimburse victims of phishing for unauthorised payments. Read more.
5. What to do in Brussels this weekend: 16 – 18 October
Do you want to turn the clock back to 1990 or explore unique pathways in the inner city? Luckily, you can do both and much more at events across Brussels this weekend. Read more.
6. Belgian Health Minister wants to limit flexi-jobs for people with long-term illnesses
The minister also wants to ban any work under the scheme during the very first month of sick leave. Read more.
7. Belgian businesses report more cyber incidents in nine months than in all of 2025
Belgian businesses are facing a growing wave of cyberattacks, with more incidents reported in the first nine months of 2026 than throughout the whole of last year. Read more.
