Belgium strikes on day of EU summit

Trains and public transport across Belgium were being paralysed today by nationwide strikes in protest at austerity measures that have in part been imposed through European Union pressure.

Hours before the start of today’s EU summit in Brussels which aims to seek more growth and jobs, Belgium’s three main unions served warning that efforts to reinvigorate the European economy should centre on taxing multinationals instead of slashing public services and imposing pension reforms which force people to work longer and cut payments in some cases.