News

News in brief (30/01/2013)

The federal government is expected this week to confirm the appointment of Jan Briers, director of the Festival of Flanders, as the new governor of the province of East Flanders, after Open VLD president Gwendolyn Rutten dropped her objections to his nomination. Minister-president Kris Peeters has promised to review the procedure for nominating provincial governors in the future.

The federal interior ministry has advised parents with young children to apply on time for the new Kids-ID, available from local municipalities. The ID card is now required for under-12s travelling within the EU. The card costs €3 until 31 March, and €6 thereafter, is valid for three years and takes three weeks to be delivered. A fasttrack procedure also exists for late applicants, but costs up to €170.

(January 30, 2013)

News

Man-made atoll planned for North Sea

The electricity-producing island would make wind power more efficient

A new man-made island could appear off the Flemish coast within five years, producing electricity for moments of peak demand and providing a new habitat for marine wildlife, according to plans announced last week by federal minister Johan Vande Lanotte.

The plan involves an atoll – a ring-shaped island with a lagoon in the middle – three to four kilometres off the coast of Wenduine. It would produce hydro-electricity by pumping water out of the central lagoon at times when there was surplus energy produced by wind turbines – for example at night. Then, when demand required it, the water would be allowed to flow back into the lagoon, passing through turbines, which would convert the flowing water back into electricity.

Alan Hope

(January 23, 2013)

Minister announces rail reform

Unions promise strike action if concerns aren’t met

Unions representing railway personnel have threatened further industrial action following an agreement by the federal cabinet last week on the reform of the structure of the rail authority NMBS.

In his last act as federal minister for government enterprises before going off to be mayor of Charleroi, Paul Magnette announced the planned reform. As expected, the NMBS will move from its current tripartite structure – with rolling stock operated by the NMBS and infrastructure run by Infrabel, both under the NMBS Holding – to a two-pronged structure without the holding company. Under the new structure, the NMBS will be responsible for everything that directly affects the rail user.

Alan Hope

(January 16, 2013)

Funding for digital heritage archive

Institute will look after a “treasure trove” of audio-visual material

The government of Flanders has announced funding in the amount of €11.8 million for a Flemish Institute for Archiving and Retrieval of Audio-visual Heritage (VIAA). The project will be coordinated by the non-profit Waalse Krook in Ghent and the work carried out by iMinds. iMinds will receive a one-time subsidy of €7.8 million, while the infrastructure costs will be picked up by the culture and media ministries.

“We have such a treasure trove of audio-visual material in Flanders; it’s high time we kept it in a systematic and sustainable manner for this and future generations,” said media minister Ingrid Lieten.

Alan Hope

(January 9, 2013)

12 from 2012

It’s been quite a year in Flanders. Our correspondents look back at the biggest stories of 2012, one month at a time

The year began with pioneering surgery in Ghent and ended with promises of cheaper energy for all. In between there was tragedy, controversy, transport chaos and the occasional sporting triumph – here’s our round-up of how Flanders fared in 2012.

January

A surgical first

Alan Hope

(December 19, 2012)

Committee gears up for war centenary commemoration

A who’s who of Flemish politicians, academics and artists will help plan the 2014-2018 events

War correspondent Rudi Vranckx and astronaut Frank Dewinne are among the nine members of the steering committee of the Flemish government’s centenary commemorations of the First World War. The committee was presented by minister-president Kris Peeters last week at a ceremony in Flagey in Brussels, following a special performance of Verdi’s Requiem.

The other members of the committee are: photographer Lieve Blanquaert; artist Jan Fabre; Jacques Rogge, chairman of the International Olympic Committee; Chris Van den Wyngaert, a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal; EU council president Herman Van Rompuy; philosopher and honorary vice-rector of Ghent University Etienne Vermeersch; and Marc Vervenne, honorary rector of the University of Leuven.

Alan Hope

(December 19, 2012)

News

Botanical garden in Flemish hands

After 11 years of talks, the National Botanical Gardens officially belongs to Flanders

After more than a decade of negotiations, the National Botanical Gardens in Meise to the north of Brussels will finally come into the hands of the Flemish region, following an agreement reached last weekend at a special ministerial meeting of the Flemish and French-speaking communities.

The transfer of the garden to Flanders was agreed in 2001 in the so-called Lambermont accords, which divided up responsibilities for certain dossiers between the federal government and the regions. However, differences over the buildings, the scientific collection and the language requirements for staff all held up the transfer until now. In the meantime, investment was frozen and the garden’s authorities complained repeatedly of many much-needed investment, for which it seemed no-one was responsible.

Alan Hope

(December 12, 2012)

“Difficult but not extreme”

First snowfall causes major traffic problems, but Flanders is ready for winter weather

The Flemish roads and traffic services are ready for the winter, came the announcement last week. With 250km of tailbacks on roads in Flanders on Monday morning, preparedness was not misplaced.

Last week Flemish mobility minister Hilde Crevits announced the government’s winter plan for 2012-2013. Flanders, she said, is equipped with a stock of 42,000 tonnes of road-salt – 18,000 tonnes more than was used in the relatively mild winter of 2011-2012.

Alan Hope

(December 5, 2012)

Federal government passes budget

Two-year pay freeze and energy prices are foundation of savings for 2013

The federal government last week reached an agreement on its budget for 2013, based on a pay freeze for 2013 and 2014. Prime minister Elio Di Rupo promised the budget would help relaunch the economy and said his government had done everything “necessary and achievable” to spare the public.

Wages for two years, other than the minimum wage, will not be able to rise by more than the index, in an effort to reduce the margin, currently estimated at 5.2%, by which Belgian salaries exceed those in neighbouring countries. To preserve the purchasing power of lower incomes, meanwhile, an additional €30 million was agreed to give a tax credit to those on minimum wage, on top of €106 million agreed earlier in the year.

Alan Hope

(November 28, 2012)

Flemish trams ride into Brussels

The new Brabantnet should curtail road congestion around the capital

Flemish public transport authority De Lijn last week announced four new tram lines in Flemish Brabant, which will ride into Brussels and terminate at the city’s North Station. The plans have won the approval of the Brussels-Capital Region, the capital’s transport authority MIVB and Flemish mobility minister Hilde Crevits.

Flemish Brabant lies at the centre of road congestion in Flanders, with 10 of the 16 most serious points in the region located in the areas around Brussels. Residents of the municipalities affected (see map) have until 11 January to submit their remarks to a public enquiry, as part of the procedure to draw up an environmental effects report.

Alan Hope

(November 21, 2012)