Belgium rapped over Europeans on dole

15 September 2005

BRUSSELS – Belgian law on unemployment benefit was discriminatory to job-hunters from other European countries, it was ruled this week.

The European Court of Justice found in favour of a Greek citizen who complained after being denied benefit by Belgium’s unemployment office ONEM in 2001.

ONEM had argued that since the job-hunter had not gone to secondary school in Belgium, he had no right to the benefit.

The organisation was following Belgian law on the issue, however the Strasbourg court ruled Belgium had broken the EU principal of fair treatment for EU citizens throughout the union.

Subject: Belgian news