Latest news in Belgium? September 12th, 2026
12-09-2026
Key developments in Belgium for September 12, 2026:
- EU Discussions on Frozen Russian Assets: European Union officials are reviewing proposals for a special financial vehicle designed to pool and share risks related to immobilized Russian central bank assets, reducing legal and financial liability centered on Belgium and the Brussels-based clearing house Euroclear.
- Federal Budget Debate: Discussions around closing the federal deficit remain heated. Reformist Movement (MR) leader Georges-Louis Bouchez presented a contentious proposal targeting roughly €17 billion in spending reductionsincluding public sector downsizing, fewer administrative entities, and selective station closureswhile ruling out increases to income taxes or VAT, sparking warnings of protest actions from major trade unions. The Brussels Times
- Cross-Border Security Pact: Follow-up implementation is underway for the newly signed UK-Belgium Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement. The pact, the first bilateral police agreement between the UK and an EU state since Brexit, grants Belgian and British authorities expanded powers for real-time intelligence sharing, automated vehicle tracking, and weapons clearance on non-stop Eurostar services to counter North Sea and Channel migrant smuggling networks. Brussels Signal+ 1
- North Sea Energy Island Progress: The Princess Elisabeth artificial energy island project reached a key milestone following the placement of its final offshore caisson foundation, backed by newly formalized European Investment Bank green infrastructure financing. AP News