Belgian trade unions protest austerity plans ahead of EU summit

Brussels, March 24: The beginning of an EU Summit that was supposed to finalise a deal on economic governance through a ‘competitiveness pact’ or Euro pact, has drawn tens of thousands of anti austerity protesters who feel that the social fabric of Europe is being destroyed by the EU forcing governments to cut spending and reduce budget deficits. Unofficial estimates gauge around 20,00 protesters from a number of European trade unions. Mostly Belgian trade unions were involved in organising the protest.