Intelligence Summary 10 October - 16 October

Belgium Reports Third H1N1 Death
13 October 2009

Interministerial Influenza Commission (BRUSSELS) — A 37-year-old woman from Antwerp died 11 October due to complications from an A/H1N1 infection. She had no known predisposing factors. She first showed symptoms 26 September. Doctors admitted her to the hospital with bilateral pneumonia on 3 October. Doctors placed her on a ventilator, but her condition deteriorated and she died eight days after they admitted her. The Scientific Institute of Health confirmed the H1N1 diagnosis on 13 October. (Reliability: Very High, 54.92)

Analysis: It is highly likely H1N1-related deaths will remain low in Belgium. Reports from the past three weeks indicate widespread infection rates in Belgium, yet this is only the country's third death out of almost 13,000 H1N1 cases. (Analytic Confidence: Medium)

Moratorium On Pharmacies Extended By 10 Years
14 October 2009

Belgium has one of the highest concentration of pharmacies in Europe.

Knack (BRUSSELLS) — Health Minister Laurette Onkelinx suggested Belgium extend the moratorium on pharmacies by 10 years. Since the government placed a moratorium on pharmacies 10 years ago, the number of residents per pharmacy rose by only 100 people per pharmacy. In 1999 the country had one pharmacy per 1900 inhabitants. There is currently one pharmacy per 2000 inhabitants. Belgium remains one of the highest concentrations of pharmacies throughout Europe. (Reliability: High, 46.17)

Officials Accused Of Accepting Bribes
14 October 2009

RTBF (BRUSSELS) — Police conducted several raids on 13 October in Flanders and Brussels. Police accused two officials of accepting bribes for the past five years. The bribes included kickbacks in the form of travel, invitations to restaurants and other small gifts in exchange for public contracts for companies. These two officials worked for the agency Marine Coastal Services, an agency under the supervision of the Flemish Minister of Public Works. (Reliability: Very High, 51.67)

Belgium Draws On Banks, Nuclear Power For Budget
13 October 2009

Reuters (BRUSSELS) Belgium unveiled plans on 13 October to cap its budget deficit at 5.7 percent of gross domestic product next year with higher diesel prices and levies on the nuclear sector and on banks and insurers. Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy said in his state of the union address that the government expected economic growth in 2010 to be 0.4 percent and 1.9 percent in 2011 after the crisis of the past 12 months, with a contraction of 3.1 percent in 2009. Belgium aims to balance its budget by 2015. (Reliability: Very High, 51.67)

Belgians Protest Swine Flu Vaccine
15 October 2009
Expatica (BRUSSELS) — Members of a citizens’ initiative opposed to the new A/H1N1 vaccine took the Belgian state to court this week.The group opposes the new vaccine, which is free and will be voluntary, taking issue with the seemingly experimental nature of the vaccination program. They said health authorities did not provide information on risks incurred for those who receive the vaccine. The citizens' group holds that the Belgian state should consider every human’s absolute and fundamental right for physical well-being. (Reliability: High, 45.37)

Belgian Cuts Defense Force Amid Budget Squeeze
13 October 2009

Expatica (BRUSSELS) — Defense Minister Pieter De Crem said 13 October that the 20 percent reduction in Belgium's defense force is necessary because the budget personnel costs excessively burden the country while it attempts to upgrade equipment and other sectors.The Belgian government said it plans to cut its defense force to 34,000 (down from 42,000 last year) as part of budgetary belt-tightening, but the move should not affect the country's international commitment to assisting in conflict areas. (Reliability: High, 45.37)

Comment: Belgian forces are currently active in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Lebanon.

For questions or comments, please contact the author:

Email: jmarsh42@mercyhurst.edu
Tel. #: (814) 730-3390

Intelligence Summary 3 October - 9 October

Belgium Reports 4,160 New Cases Of H1N1
8 October 2009

Interministerial Influenza Commission (BRUSSELS) — Out of 18,772 patients in Belgium who went to the doctor for flu-like conditions, experts estimate there were 4,160 new cases of A/H1N1 flu in the last week. Since the outbreak of the A/H1N1 pandemic in late April, doctors in Belgium reported 12,678 H1N1 cases and two deaths related to H1N1 complications. (Reliability: Very High, 54.92)

Analysis: It is highly likely H1N1 rates will follow current trends and continue to rise in Belgium. Belgium’s hospitals are almost certainly prepared to handle a pandemic as widespread as H1N1, and they will likely begin administering vaccines to all high risk populations and a large portion of the general population in the next two weeks. (Analytic Confidence: Medium)

China, Belgium Vow To Seek Stronger Ties
7 October 2009

Xinua (BRUSSELLS) — China will work with Belgium to improve political trust and substantial cooperation to make new progress in bilateral ties, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday. Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, Xi put forward a four-point proposal to cement bilateral ties: to maintain high-level contacts and political dialogues; to consider the core interests and concerns of each other; to actively boost tangible cooperation, including investment and technological cooperation; and to increase human and culture exchanges. (Reliability: High, 46.42)

European Farmers’ Anger Spills Into the Streets of Brussels
5 October 2009

A farmer protesting low milk prices sprayed milk at riot police in Brussels.

NYTimes (BRUSSELS) — After months of complaints by European dairy farmers angry over low prices, protesters poured milk onto the streets, hurled eggs, and started fires in Brussels on 5 October. Hundreds of tractors blockaded the area outside the European Union’s headquarters while agriculture ministers met in an emergency meeting. The gathering of ministers, which convened after pressure from France, failed to produce any breakthroughs apart from a decision to set up a committee to report on the dairy industry in June. (Reliability: Very High, 51.67)

Comment: Last month dairy farmers spilled three million liters of milk onto their fields to protest low milk prices, which they hoped to raise from USD .26 to USD .35 per kilo. French milk producers declare they will go bankrupt if milk prices do not increase.

EU Takes Belgium To Court Over Gas Contracts
5 October 2009

Reuters (BRUSSELS) The European Commission said on Thursday it would take Belgium to court over exemptions the country applies to gas transit contracts. "The European Commission decided today to commence infringement proceedings against Belgium as the Belgian law of March 10 2009 which lays down exemptions for natural gas transit contracts, infringes Community law establishing an internal market," the European Union's executive said in a statement. (Reliability: Very High, 51.67)

Eleven EU Countries Report Increasing H1N1 Activity
9 October 2009

European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (STOCKHOLM) — Ireland reported high intensity influenza-like illness activity and Belgium, Malta, Spain and the UK (Northern Ireland) reported medium intensity activity this week. Belgium, Ireland and the UK (England and Wales) reported widespread activity. Eleven countries reported increasing intensity activity compared to week 39. Four countries reported 323 newly diagnosed probable and
confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1). (Reliability: Very High, 60.9)

For questions or comments, please contact the author:

Email: jmarsh42@mercyhurst.edu
Tel. #: (814) 730-3390