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European Edition
24th November 2025
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THE HOT STORY

Belgium prepares for three days of national strikes

Belgium is set to experience significant disruptions as unions launch three days of strikes starting today. The strikes, aimed at protesting proposed government spending cuts and labour law changes, will unfold in three phases. Public transport will be affected first, with the national railroad company SNCB predicting limited train services. On Tuesday, schools and public services will join the action, culminating in a general strike on Wednesday, which will halt flights at major airports. Unions are urging Prime Minister Bart De Wever to reconsider austerity measures.
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WORKFORCE

European Commission proposes measures to boost supplementary pensions

The European Commission has proposed new measures to enhance supplementary pensions amid concerns over a shrinking workforce and ageing populations. The proposals aim to liberalise supplementary pensions and encourage cross-border investment. Key recommendations include auto-enrolment for workers and the development of comprehensive pension tracking systems. The Commission also plans to amend the Directive on Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision (IORP) II to diversify investments and reduce costs. A new Basic Pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP) will be introduced to improve accessibility and affordability. "This package does not replace national measures," a note stated.

Some migrants to UK to face 20 year wait for settled status

Migrants who are in the UK legally could have to wait up to 20 years before they can settle permanently, under government proposals. Doctors and nurses working in the NHS will be able to settle after five years. The "brightest and best" international talent could have settlement fast-tracked, with high earners and entrepreneurs able to stay after just three years, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said. Christina McAnea, Unison's general secretary, said: "Forcing staff, many of whom stepped up during Covid, to wait . . . years for certainty about their futures betrays the promises they were made." McAnea warned the government not to "overlook the care workers, nursing assistants and school support staff from overseas" as without them "care services would collapse."
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HYBRID WORKING

Right to flexible working urged to resolve three-hour commutes

Ireland's parliament has heard that the government needs to legislate for a “real right to flexible and hybrid working” in a bid to beat traffic congestion that has led to three-hour commutes for some workers travelling into Dublin. Kildare South Labour lawmaker Mark Wall said: “the Government's own code of practice on flexible working and hybrid working is not working. The call back to the office and the workplace is a problem highlighted by many, many commuters who have contacted me over recent days.” He observed that motorists are “leaving their family homes at 6am just to barely make it into work for 9am . . . Productivity is down and the mental health of commuters is affected every day."
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STRATEGY

AI threatens entry-level jobs, PwC says

PwC global chairman Mohamed Kande says the growth of artificial intelligence may eventually lead to fewer entry-level graduates being hired, although he said AI was not behind recent job cuts at the firm. In 2021, PwC said it wanted to hire 100,000 people over the course of five years, but Kande said this would no longer be possible. "When we made the plans to hire that many people, the world looked very, very different," he said. "Now we have artificial intelligence. We want to hire, but I don't know if it's going to be the same level of people that we hire - it will be a different set of people." Kande noted that PwC actually needed to hire hundreds of new AI engineers but was struggling to find them.

Red Cross to shed 2,900 jobs

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced a 17% budget cut for 2026 that will result in nearly 3,000 job losses, as dwindling donor funding forces the organisation to make drastic changes. ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said: "The financial reality is forcing us to make difficult decisions to ensure we can continue to deliver critical humanitarian assistance." The cuts come amid escalating global conflicts and a significant international aid funding crisis. In light of its shrinking budget, ICRC said it would need to prioritise safeguarding its presence in the most critical conflict zones, including Sudan Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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LEGAL

French police raid 29 locations in Altice-linked corruption probe

French police have raided companies and properties nationwide as a probe intensifies into an alleged scheme by employees and suppliers to defraud telecoms group Altice. It is alleged that hundreds of millions of euros were defrauded by some employees and suppliers overbilling for goods and services who then syphoned the money off into shell companies. More than 70 investigators were involved from Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation based in the Hague which looks into serious crime within the European Union.

Spain's Attorney General guilty of leak in tax fraud case

Spain's Supreme Court has found Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz guilty of leaking confidential information regarding Alberto González Amador, the partner of Madrid's influential opposition regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and who has been under investigation for alleged tax fraud. The court imposed a two-year ban on García Ortiz, who denied any wrongdoing. He must also pay €7,300 in fines and €10,000 in damages to González Amador. This was the first time in Spain's modern history that a top prosecutor had faced a criminal trial.
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RISK

Europe’s economy is geared towards a disappearing world, ECB’s Lagarde says

Europe’s economy is “geared towards a world that is gradually disappearing” and the EU needs reforms to spur growth, according to a warning from Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank (ECB). Lagarde said the EU’s dependence on international trade had left it vulnerable, as major partners had turned away from the trade that made the bloc’s exporters wealthy. Speaking at the European Banking Congress, she said that protectionist measures and China's control over critical materials threaten growth, and proposed lowering trade barriers within the EU and adopting qualified majority voting on tax to enhance market access for smaller companies. Despite these challenges, Lagarde acknowledged strengths including resilient labour market and increased digital investment.

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INTERNATIONAL

Australia's right to disconnect laws reduce unpaid overtime hours

Labour laws in Australia are effectively reducing unpaid overtime for full-time workers, according to a report from the Australian Institute's Centre for Future Work. The average full-time employee worked 6.2 hours of unpaid overtime weekly in 2023, before Labor's right to disconnect laws were introduced, a figure which decreased to 3.8 hours in 2025. Report author Dr Fiona Macdonald did however note that while full-time workers have benefited, part-time workers face rising unpaid overtime, which has been attributed to their employment conditions. Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said that no significant disputes arose regarding the right to disconnect laws, which have reportedly improved employee engagement and productivity.

Chinese SOEs ask workers to cancel their Japan holidays

Several state-owned enterprises in China are advising employees to cancel travel plans to Japan due to rising tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. An engineer from Wuhan reported that his company had urged him to scrap his upcoming trip to Osaka, which had been approved earlier. He managed to negotiate a refund for his travel costs, except for the visa fee. The diplomatic dispute escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested potential intervention in the Taiwan Strait.
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OTHER

Dangerous toys still sold online in Europe, survey finds

Large numbers of dangerous toys are being sold online in the EU via marketplaces such as Temu, Shein and Amazon despite a promised crackdown, according to the Toy Industry of Europe's new annual report, which found that 86% of the toys it purchased online posed safety risks, up from 80% last year. “What is illegal offline is equally illegal online, yet when sellers are based outside the EU, there is often no one who can be held accountable", commented TIE director general Catherine Van Reeth. “Dangerous toys keep turning up despite a plethora of rules. Legislation for toy safety has serious loopholes and unenforceable clauses that end up to the benefit of rogue traders. Children and reputable toy makers are still the ones paying the price for rules that do not count for those non-EU sellers through online platforms."
 
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