Belgium has expressed significant reservations regarding the European Union's plan to fund Ukraine with a 'reparation loan' backed by frozen Russian assets. Prime Minister Bart De Wever insisted on a clear legal basis and mutual risk-sharing among EU partners, leading to the postponement of a final decision until December.
Belgium has introduced stricter nationwide measures to combat avian influenza, effective October 23, 2025. Commercial and Sanitel-registered poultry farms are now required to confine birds indoors after H5N1 outbreaks were confirmed in Houthulst, West Flanders, and Welkenraedt, Liège.
Belgian biotech company Galapagos NV announced its intention to wind down its cell therapy business following a comprehensive strategic review and a lack of viable acquisition proposals. The decision, impacting approximately 365 employees and several global sites, aims to redirect resources towards new business development.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by his daughter Laura Mattarella, concluded a three-day state visit to Belgium from October 20 to 22, 2025. The visit aimed to strengthen economic, academic, and diplomatic relations, featuring meetings with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, parliamentary engagements, and cultural commemorations across Brussels, Charleroi, and Bruges.
The annual Antwerp Marathon event on Sunday, October 20, 2024, saw nearly 20,000 participants across its marathon, half marathon, and 10K races in Belgium. Eskil Kinneberg and Hanne Christensen claimed victory in the full marathon.
The Princess Elisabeth Island, the world's first artificial energy island off the Belgian coast, has completed its 2025 offshore construction phase with the installation of the final concrete structure. This milestone marks significant progress for the project, which is crucial for Belgium's renewable energy goals and European energy independence.
The Estée Lauder Companies marked the 60th anniversary of its Manufacturing & Fulfillment Campus in Oevel, Belgium, a vital global manufacturing and biotech hub. The celebration highlighted six decades of innovation, significant production capabilities, and a commitment to sustainability and advanced technology.
Jan De Nul, in collaboration with partners, has completed Belgium's longest microtunnel, a 1,288-meter passage under the Scheldt river in Antwerp. The ECLUSE tunnel will transport steam for energy, significantly reducing CO2 emissions and supporting sustainable industry.
Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise have announced the appointment of 37-year-old David Hubert as their new head coach. Hubert succeeds Sébastien Pocognoli, who recently departed to take the managerial role at French club AS Monaco. The change comes as Union SG leads the Belgian league and prepares for upcoming domestic and European fixtures.
Belgian authorities, in a Europol-coordinated operation on September 23, arrested 18 individuals in Liège and Sankt Vith. The probe targeted organised crime in the meat processing sector, uncovering schemes involving foreign workers with counterfeit documents and extensive money laundering. International cooperation with German, French, and Portuguese counterparts was crucial.
Belgium faces widespread disruption on October 14, 2025, as a national strike called by major trade unions protests government reforms to pensions, working conditions, and salaries. Public transport, including metro, bus, and tram services, will be severely impacted, and both Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport have cancelled all departing flights.
A 45-year-old nurse from Leuven has been arrested and placed under judicial custody in connection with the deaths of two elderly residents at a care home in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Belgium. The deaths, which occurred on October 5 and 7, are suspected to be linked to an incorrect dosage of morphine.
Employee strikes at IKEA stores across Belgium are expanding, with workers in Wilrijk, Zaventem, Anderlecht, and Mons joining protests initiated last week in Hognoul. Unions cite chronic understaffing, high work pressure, and worsening conditions as key grievances, prompting a formal mediation meeting.
Belgoprocess has received a permit to build and operate a new facility in Dessel, Belgium, for the temporary storage of non-conditioned radioactive waste from the decommissioning of the nation's nuclear power plants. The permit was granted by Royal Decree on August 29, 2025, and published in the Belgian Official Gazette on September 26, 2025.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has voiced significant concerns and demanded 'ironclad guarantees' from EU leaders regarding a plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance a €140 billion loan for Ukraine, citing legal and financial risks, particularly for Belgium.
Belgium's Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot summoned Israeli Ambassador Idit Rosenzweig-Abu after the Israeli Navy intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters. Seven Belgian citizens were among the hundreds of activists on board the aid convoy destined for Gaza.
Belgium has confirmed its first cases of bluetongue serotype 8 (BTV8) in 2025, leading to the loss of its BTV8-free status. This development has prompted mandatory vaccination for cattle and sheep against both BTV3 and BTV8, impacting livestock movement and trade across the nation.
The Antwerp diamond industry has achieved a significant trade victory, as the United States has decided to remove the 15% import tariff on polished diamonds of European origin. This decision, effective retroactively from September 1, 2025, grants Belgium tariff-free access to the crucial US market, boosting Antwerp's competitiveness as a global diamond hub.
Discount supermarket chain Lidl Belgium recorded a loss of €31.1 million in its most recent fiscal year, an increase from €29.1 million the previous year. Despite a 3% rise in turnover to €3.24 billion, the retailer continues to struggle for profitability in Belgium's highly competitive market, necessitating a €50 million capital injection from its German parent company to support ongoing expansion plans.
Train World, the SNCB museum in Brussels, has opened 'Belgian Railways under Occupation: between Collaboration and Resistance.' The exhibition details the complex history of Belgian railways during German occupation in WWII, exploring both collaboration and resistance, and runs until June 2026.
