Job vacancies fall below pandemic lows as hiring freezes
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The labor market is tightening as job vacancies reported to VDAB fell 15 percent over the last year, reaching levels lower than those seen during the pandemic. Companies appear to be opting for hiring freezes to avoid the high costs and legal complexity associated with dismissing staff in Belgium.
The government's budget priorities are also under scrutiny following reports that corporate subsidies exceed the OECD average by 15 billion euros. Separately, NGOs at COP31 have ranked the country's climate performance as low.
Life will change by 2027 under new regulations that prohibit leaning bicycles against building facades. Where those bikes will go remains unclear, though a predicted 'tropical wave' is expected to bring weather pattern changes soon.