Belgium

Belgium is bracing for a series of significant changes taking effect on September 1st, including new regulations for dormant assets, pensions, and the penal code, alongside major reforms in the Flemish education system and car inspection processes. These upcoming shifts are expected to impact various aspects of daily life across the country.

Adding to the immediate challenges, a widespread transport strike on the Letec network is severely disrupting bus services today and tomorrow, particularly in Charleroi, Namur, and Liège. Meanwhile, in an escalation of ongoing concerns, a federal reserve unit has been deployed to Brussels to tackle drug-related violence, which Bernard Quintin, Minister of Security and the Interior, has characterized as a 'national emergency'.

Further domestic news includes a report on a significant decline in top math students over the past two decades, raising concerns about untapped talent in the education system. Economic worries persist as the cost of long-term illnesses, especially burnout and depression, hit a record €2.7 billion in 2024, and unions warn that budget cuts are making social security management increasingly unfeasible. The country is also anticipating West Nile virus cases and is under a code yellow weather alert. Internationally, Belgian tourists are among those missing in severe Nepal floods, and national media are covering developments in the Ukraine war and US questions to NATO allies regarding support…