Belgian news in brief, 21 October 2005

Belgian film scoops Spanish Oscar

Belgian director Harry Cleven has scooped the Silver Méliès Best European Motion Picture Award for his film Trouble. The psychological thriller about a man who becomes threatened by his twin was chosen by judges at the International Festival of Catalunia in Barcelona.

A large proportion of Belgium’s EU farming subsidies are awarded to sugar companies, reported Le Soir. Figures published by the Bureau for Belgian Intervention and Restitution (BIRB), which allocates funds in Belgium, show the Tirlemont refinery benefited from EUR 92 million out of BIRB’s total EUR 550 million hand-outs. In total, around 400 Belgian companies benefit from EU subsidies which can see sums as large as EUR 92 million awarded, or as little as around EUR 100.

Phone shops are defrauding the Belgian state of a total of EUR 250 million, reported news agency Belga. Herve Jamar, secretary of state for the fight against fraud, said a special operation had revealed businesses declaring less than their real earnings, requesting a VAT number late and not putting all business through their books.

Workers have started to feel more positive about Belgium’s labour market in the last six months, according to a study by employment agency Randstad. Some 40 percent of workers surveyed stated that the market was “favourable to a change in work”, compared to 35 percent six months ago. Men are more optimistic than women and young people are more optimistic than over 45 year-olds.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news