Belgium Government

In August 1980, the Belgian Parliament passed a devolution bill and amended the Constitution, establishing "Community autonomy." As a result, in Flanders, the Flemish Parliament and government are competent for both regional and community affairs; in Wallonia, the Francophone Community Parliament and government are competent for community affairs, while the Walloon Regional Parliament and government are responsible for regional affairs. Subsequent constitutional reform established a community Parliament and government governments for the German-speaking cantons in 1983, and a regional Parliament and government for the Brussels Capital Region in 1989. ... [Read More]

V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G

Cyprus is a destination country for women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Traffickers who forced women into prostitution continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas. There was increasing evidence of Chinese women being trafficked for sexual exploitation in Cyprus. The Government of Cyprus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Cyprus made some progress in its anti-trafficking efforts over the past year. The new police anti-trafficking unit produced successful results and showed vigilance in combating the problem. Government recognition of the problem improve ... [Read More]

Belgium

The Muslim Executive Council (MEC), the group recognized by the Government to represent the Islamic faith, received government funding during the period covered by this report, but mosques, imams, and Islamic schools and teachers did not. Subsidies have never been paid to mosques and imams, despite the Government's official recognition in 1999 that the MEC would serve as the administrative instrument for distributing government subsidies. Three issues have caused delay in paying subsidies to mosques and imams; two were unresolved at the time of this report. The first issue, election of a new Muslim Executive Council, was resolved but not as preferred by the MEC. The term of the interim MEC expired on May 31, but disputes between the MEC and the federal Government over election procedures have delayed holding new elections. The second problem is constitutional. The federal Government devolved responsibility for the construction and maintenance of mosques to the regio ... [Read More]

Judicial Assistance Belgium

However, if any type of American government official or agent of an American court or administrative tribunal were to participate in a deposition, only a Belgian court could conduct the deposition. This is likewise true when any form of compulsion would be necessary. In this regard, a Belgian court could compel the appearance of a person but not his testimony "per se" not the production of documents by him "per se". When the assistance of a Belgian court is need, the letter rogatory procedure should be utilized. Belgium has warned the non-Belgian Government attorneys must seek clearance from the Belgian Government before engaging in formal or informal questioning in Belgium. Clearance for such action must be obtained through the Department of State, Office of American Citizens Se ... [Read More]

Belgium

By law, each recognized religion has the right to provide teachers at government expense for religious instruction in schools. The Government also pays the salaries, retirement, and lodging costs of ministers and subsidizes the construction and renovation of church buildings for recognized religions. The ecclesiastical administrations of recognized religions have legal rights and obligations, and the municipality in which they are located must pay any debts that they incur. Some subsidies are the responsibility of the federal government while the regional and municipal governments pay others. According to an independent academic review, government at all levels spent $523 million (23 billion Belgian francs) on subsidies for recognized religions in 2000. Of that amount, 79.2 percent went to the Catholic Church, 13 percent to secular humanist groups, 3.5 percent to Muslims, 3.2 percent to Protestants, 0.6 percent to Jews, 0.4 percent to Orthodox Christians, and 0.1 percent to Anglicans. ... [Read More]

Belgium

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:  The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Belgium as being in compliance with ICAO international aviation safety standards for oversight of Belgium’s air carrier operations.  For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s internet web site at www.faa.gov/avr/iasa/index.cfm. ... [Read More]

Belgium

The law includes provisions for the granting of refugee status or asylum to persons who meet the definition in the 1951 U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. In practice, the Government provided protection against refoulement and granted refugee status or asylum. The Government cooperated with the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian organizations in assisting refugees. During the year, 16,470 asylum applications were submitted, 12 percent fewer than in 2002, continuing the downward trend begun in 2000. Authorities claimed that the application rate continued to decline largely because the Government had developed a system less attractive to illegitimate asylum-seekers. Applicants are required to go to open reception centers to receive room, board, and basic services. The Government claimed that approximately 75 percent of all asylum cases were resolved within 8 weeks. It reported that its 45 reception ... [Read More]

2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Belgium

In July 2003, the Government published its response to a report by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) based on a 2001 visit. The CPT report made recommendations concerning the use of force and means of restraint during involuntary movement of prisoners, but noted that the Government had already taken measures to reduce risks to prisoners. The report's principal concerns were violence among prisoners at Andenne Prison, chronic overcrowding at Antwerp Prison, and the operation of the psychiatric care system in prisons. In response to the report, the Government adopted specific articles in the Criminal Code prohibiting torture and inhumane treatment and prohibited the use of plastic handcuffs and the use of immobilization techniques that could result in asphyxiation. Other Government actions to implement the CPT recommendations included closure of a psychiatric ward at Lantin prison; new measures to combat prison violence; and a more liberal policy for a ... [Read More]

Remarks En Route to Brussels, Belgium

SECRETARY RICE: Well, there's a long history with the Muslim Brotherhood, including its regional role, but Glen, I hardly think the Egyptian Government is either the North Korean Government or the Belarusian Government. This is a government with which we do have relations and where we have respectful relations of Egypt's laws. ...

SECRETARY RICE: Well, the conference idea came up in discussions between the President and the European leaders when he was at the U.S.-EU summit meetings a few months ago. It was before there was a new Iraqi Government and so it was decided that we weren't going to make any decisions about whether such a conference would be helpful until there was a new Iraqi Government. After there was a new Iraqi Government, there were discussions and the Iraqis thought it would indeed be very helpful. But I want to emphasize that the Iraqis are co-chairs of this conference as well. So this is the Iraqis with their international partners, not the international partners delivering something to the Iraqis. ... [Read More]