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BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
BAD NEWS FOR
CARMAKERS
[IND: Frankfurt, November 28]
The European Commission is expected to approve new regulations in January which will
liberalize the automotive market allowing consumers and dealers more power in their
negotiations with the car makers. This includes lower financing revenues, price
convergence and higher marketing costs. Volume manufacturers are likely to be the hardest
hit. The winners may be spare parts suppliers and larger dealer groups rather than the
consumers. Daimler-Chrysler and BMW are expected to be hardest hit as they have the
highest financial services exposure. The liberalizing of car supplies could be a gain for
consumers and the parts companies. This report comes from just-auto.com with information
from Reuters.
http://www.just-auto.com
NEDCAR WINS
ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT AWARD
[IND: Born, November 28]
NedCar has been nominated for a prize for the best Dutch language environmental report in
the year 2000. It is the third consecutive environmental report produced by NedCar. The
publishing of an environmental report is a requirement of the Eco Management and Audit
Scheme EMAS. The jury said that NedCar produced a compact report with much relevant
information. A strong point was the detailing of environmental performance per automotive
unit produced.
http://www.nedcar.nl
PACKAGING PRIZE
[BIZ: Jülich, November 27]
The firm Gissler & Pass has won the German Packaging prize for 2001 with the Henkel
company. Gissler & Pass employs 70 in Jülich and also received a prize for its
packaging display.
http://www.juelich.de
EUR 10m FOR THE
BORGLOON AUCTION
[BIZ: Borgloon, November 26]
The Borgloon auction, fruit and agricultural products, has just completed an investment
program of EUR 10m for the construction of a central sorting warehouse of 2,000m2,
the renovation of an existing warehouse for the introduction of a system of separated
waste management. The warehouse has a number of automated lines for packaging material,
build in quality systems and two separate transit cool cells. Borgloon extended its
refrigerating capacity by 5,000 tons, 19 commercial refrigerated cells and 8 ULO's.
Further there are 3 covered ranks, additions to the offices and an extra 2,700 m2
for the warehouse itself.
http://www.hbvl.be
VIDEOCONFERENCING
AT EBC
[BIZ: Maastricht, November 24]
Euro Business Center, Maastricht, which offers offices away from home, is now providing
videoconferencing facilities. This allows meetings to be held in virtual space, using a
6-line ISDN connection.
http://www.maastricht.eurobc.nl
EUROLAND TO ESCAPE
RECESSION
[BIZ: Brussels, November 24]
Dagblad de Limburger's Jan Wielaard reports from Brussels that Pedro Solbes the
European commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs has had to revise his growth
figures for Europe in 2003 because of recent crises. His assumption, seen by some as
optimistic, is that economic growth for the 12 Euro countries will be 1.6% for this year
followed by 1.3% for 2002. In 2003 growth of 2.9% is expected. The recent figures on the
German economy could have been an incentive for the European Central Bank to further lower
its interest rate. The bank has not done so.
http://www.limburger.nl
EUVENCA FOR
MEUSE-RHINE
[BIZ: Liège, November 21]
Euvenca, scheduled to go live the end of December, is a new venture capital company, set
up in Maastricht for young entrepreneurs in the high-tech sector. Euvenca (Euregio Venture
Capital) will focus on Meuse-Rhine. It will have four partners: Ost Belgien Invest,
Limburg Development Company LIOF, the Sparkasse in Aachen S-VC and Fortis Private Equity
starting off with a capital of EUR 5m.
http://www.lameuse.be
PI-STAR IN THE
SOUTHERN NETHERLANDS
[BIZ: Maastricht, November 21]
Limburg Development Company LIOF and the Brabants' company BOM want to strengthen the
competitiveness and resilience of the high-tech supply industry in the Southern
Netherlands and they have made available the sum of EUR 567,408. Suppliers work for
clients like Daf, ASML, Philips, Stork, Océ etc. and employ 150,000. In the context of
the Pi-Star project BOM and LIOF have initiated a strategic study to be implemented by the
Boston consulting group headed by Hans Wijers, former minister of Economic Affairs in the
Netherlands. The study is called the future of industrial supply in the Southern
Netherlands. The objective of the study is to find out what the industry and government
should do to strengthen this technology cluster. The results will be presented at a
conference in March 2002 in Eindhoven.
http://www.liof.nl
DSM DYNEEMA EXPANDS
[IND: Heerlen, November 21]
DSM High Performance Fibers the producer of Dyneema superstrong polyethylene fiber is
going to expand its production capacity with a 5th production line and a capacity of 600
tons per annum. The project will involve an investment of EUR 30m and will come on stream
in the last quarter of 2002 bringing total capacity at the Heerlen plant to 3,200 tons per
annum. The workforce will grow by around 30. The world market is growing and DSM is
investigating a 6th Dyneema fiber plant in the US. It has already built a 400 tons per
annum production line at Greenville, North Carolina and has a joint venture with Toyobo in
Osaka for Dyneema fiber for the Japanese market.
http://www.dsm.com
PORT METAL
RECYCLING
[IND: Liège, November 21]
The WILMET company has just set up a new operation at Malonne in Lièges autonomous port
to specialize in recycling metal. The company has been active since the sixties and
achieved a turnover of EUR 12.4m in the year 2000 processing 1,200 tons of material each
month. The new tax on household electrical goods means interesting new prospects. From
January 1 they could also turn their hand to old cars which persist in littering the
landscape. Clients include Umico, Cockerill and Fabrique de Fer. They also have Indian and
Pakistani clients.
http://www.lameuse.com
PLASCOBEL INVESTS
EUR 2.5m
[BIZ: Overpelt, November 21]
The injection molding company Overpelt-Plascobel (OVP) is investing EUR 2.5m in 3 new
injection molding machines. The machines will be used for 2 new automotive contracts to
produce bumper parts for Volvo Truck and plastic doorpanels for the new Opel Vectra to be
built in Germany starting next year. The doors, it will be remembered, will be painted by
another Overpelt company Limbucolor.
http://www.vkw-limburg.be
CROSSAIR IN
ALLIANCE WITH KLM?
[BIZ: Hasselt, November 20]
The Swiss airline Crossair would like to form an alliance with KLM. It will be remembered
that they were recently tipped to fly between Maastricht and Berlin and their name has
also arisen in connection with Liège airport. The Swiss-Dutch alliance is mentioned in a
report by Het belang van Limburg. Crossair is a successor to the bankrupt Swiss
airline Swissair.
http://www.hbvl.be
EUR 111+ FOR
JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS
[IND: Beersen, November 20]
Pharmaceutical company Janssen Pharmaceuticals is going to add 2 new buildings to its
Beersen operation. This involves an investment of EUR 111.6m and means 40 new top
researchers. Beersen is the principal research center for Janssen Pharmaceuticals. The
company is specialized in the central nervous system, stomach and intestinal diseases and
cancer. The Discovery Research Center, one of the new buildings, will focus on new
medications and at the beginning of 2004, 250 researchers will be able to move to their
new labs. Construction starts in 2002 and by the end of that year the drugs safety
evaluation center will be completed. It will house 140 researchers who will be focusing on
drugs safety. Janssen Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary of the American Johnson &
Johnson. The company has pharmaceutical and chemical plants in Beersen, Geel and Olen and
employs more than 4,000.
http://www.hbvl.be
TESSENDERLO
CHEMICALS INVESTS
[BIZ: Tessenderlo, November 20]
Tessenderlo Chemicals is investing around EUR 150m in the construction of a new
electrolysis unit at Tessenderlo. The new installation should be operational by the end of
2004 and will expand the production of soda and potash by 100,000 tons. There is also a
growing demand for mvc, a raw material for pvc and for toluene derivatives both in fine
chemicals and in pharmacy, agri-chemicals and the taste and smell industry.
http://www.vkw-limburg.be
EXPORT PRIZE FOR
PIMC IN DIEPENBEEK
[BIZ: Diepenbeek, November 20]
The first Export Lion Prize goes to the Diepenbeek company PIMC which specializes in the
testing and validation of multimedia applications. The prize a piece of sculpture, a
cheque and a free ticket on foreign trade missions and to export fairs was presented by
Flemish minister Jacques Gabriels to PIMC's management. PIMC is at the science park of the
Limburg University center in Diepenbeek which is part of Flanders' Multimedia Valley. The
company employs 105 and last year produced a turnover of EUR 6m.
http://www.vkw-limburg.be
DIFFICULTIES FOR
GERMAN E-TAILERS
[BIZ: Frankfort, November 19]
Retailing in Germany is difficult because of the laws governing opening hours and
marketing. The on-line retail market in Germany, which comprises 31m Internet users
forecast to spend EUR 5bn in 2001, is also expecting stiff competition from overseas
companies although they now can offer discounts and free gifts. This research comes from
Forrester research.
http://www.forrester.com
DSM SELLS OFF GAS
[BIZ: Heerlen, November 19]
The Dutch government and DSM reach an agreement on the sale of DSM's depository receipts
in Energiebeheer Nederland BV (EBN) for EUR 1.243bn Transfer of the depository receipts
will take place by December 28, 2001. This is part of government policy to restructure the
Dutch gas market as part of a program of liberalization which has meant the end of DSM's
financial interest in gas. DSM will use the proceeds of this transaction in the
implementation of its vision 2005 focus and value strategy which will positively effect
DSM's earnings per share.
http://www.dsm.com
MARKET SHARE GAINS
IN INSURANCE
[BIZ: Aachen, November 19]
In the first three quarters of 2001 the AMB group headed by AMB Generali Holding AG in
Aachen achieved gross premiums written totaling EUR 1.4bn. This included premiums of
direct insurance business amounting to EUR 8.3bn with a gross rate of 6.6% of the premiums
from direct insurance business after adjustment for extraordinary influences the company
has again shown its growth capacity. At the end of Q3 2001 the group operating results was
EUR 430m before tax and 234m after tax. Assets under management including 3rd party
investments totaled EUR 70.3bn.
EUROPEAN STEEL
MERGER SHAKY
[BIZ: Luxemburg, November 19]
The proposed merger between the steel producers Usinor France, Arbed Luxemburg and
Aceralia Spain forming the world's biggest steel combine has become uncertain due to
uncertain world economic conditions. This is of considerable importance to the province of
Liège where Cockerill now falls under Usinor.
http:///www.hpvl.be
LIMBURG OUTLET
MALLS FOR POLAND
[BIZ: Hasselt, November 17]
Vandersanden and the Machiels Group are building a value retail outlet mall in Warsaw
Poland. The Hasselt and Bilzen companies intend to build a mall in Warsaw comparable with
the existing one in Eisden Belgium. The land has been acquired, the plans are ready and
they are just going through the red tape. The mall will be 160 square meters with 80 shops
and 1,500 parking spaces. Discounts of between 30 and 70% will be offered on designer
labels. The project involves an investment of EUR 40m.
http://www.vkw-limburg.be
CHANCES IN THE
CZECH REPUBLIC
[BIZ: Aachen, November 17]
With the access of the Czech Republic to the European treaty getting closer, the chambers
of commerce in Aachen, Eupen, Hasselt, Liège, Maastricht and Verviers decided to hold a
special seminar on doing business in the Czech Republic on November 26. The meeting
concluded with a business lunch and was held in English allowing everybody to participate
on an equal basis. This is one of a series of such meetings held to promote international
business activities in Meuse-Rhine.
http://www.regioblick.de
LOGISTICS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
GALERIES SAINT
LAMBERT
[INFRA: Liège, November 26]
Refurbishment of the East phase of Place Saint Lambert is ready to start according to an
article in La Libre Belgique. Construction will start in mid January first with the
inside of the buildings and then Rue Saint Gangangulphe. The new gallery is intended to
open March 2004. One of the developers is the Dutch ING Bank.
http://www.lalibre.be
VAN GANSEWINKEL IN LIEGE
[INFRA: Liège, November 23]
Van Gansewinkel, one of the biggest players in the waste and recycling sector in the
Benelux, with a turnover of close to EUR 0.5bn and a staff of 3,000, which partners Essent
Milieu who employ 2,000 and have a similar turnover have taken a 60% stake in Recydel,
specialists in recycling electronic equipment. The other stakeholders are Intradel Liege
and Spaque. Initial investment will be EUR 1.5m followed by EUR 600,000 in the second
stage.
http://www.vangansewinkel.nl
BUSES BACK IN
BELGIAN HANDS
[INFRA: Hasselt, November 22]
The Limburg bus company Broncars has been sold by its British' owners National Express to
the Belgian group Eurobus Holding. Broncars employs 120 and has an annual turnover of EUR
6.25m. Since its establishment Eurobus Holding has taken over 30 companies and focuses on
scheduled services in Flanders and the Walloon country.
http://www.vkw-limburg.be
1,500 BUS SHELTERS
[INFRA: Peer, November 22]
The Belgian bus company De Lang has bought 1,500 bus shelters from Ypsilon NV in Peer.
These shelters will carry advertising. The purchase price was EUR 3.5m. The Flemish region
will pay 70%.
http://www.vkw-limburg.be
RWE RESULTS
[INFRA: Essen, November 22]
RWE Q3 results are up by 38%. Growth almost exclusively in electricity, gas, water, waste
and Thames water. On another front RWE and Electrabell are forming a consortium with their
client BSAF to build a 150 Mw power station for them in Antwerp.
http://www.rwe.com
ABX LOGISTICS MOVES
TO GRACE-HOLLOGNE
[LOG: Brussels, November 19]
ABX Logistics a subsidiary of Belgium Railways has moved to a new regional center with
4,400 square meters of easy accessible modern facilities. The center has 72 access gates
and its own fleet of 53 vehicles. The company produced a turnover of EUR 2.9bn last year
and is active in 36 countries.
http://www.abxlogistics.be
CRUCIAL HIGHWAY OK
[INFRA: Maastricht, November 15]
Limburg's provincial parliament has approved the A73 south highway plan from the
municipality of Swalmen. Approval was possible following that of the ministry of
agriculture, the countryside and fisheries which lifted a protection order covering that
part of the highway passing through Swalmen.
http://www.limburg.nl
SABENA TECHNICS TO CARRY ON
[INFRA: Brussels, November 13]
Sabena Technics, a leading provider of aviation maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade
services for the aviation industry, which is effected by the bankruptcy of the Sabena
airline, was scheduled to cooperate with Bedek at Liège Airport and also being
wooed by EADS, the Franco-German combine, says that it is continuing its operation as
usual. It has been seeking investors since the summer. It has had to lay of 704 of its
2000 staff, but only did a third of its work for Sabena.
http://www.sabenatechnics.com
CENTIPEDE GOES LIVE
[INFRA: Heerlen, November]
Centipedes, a triple A location in the world's most competitive market, will be opening
January 18, 2002 at the Avantis cross border Science and Business Park Heerlen/Aachen.
Centipedes is a joint venture of Limburg Development Company LIOF and NIB Projectbeheer.
Stage 1 of the building has a lettable area of 6,400m².
http://www.avantis.org
CORPORATE LAND
[INFRA: Heerlen/Aachen, November]
Avantis the first cross border European Science and Business Park has published a first
newsletter. Using the trademark of corporate land it focuses on the Ericsson Libertel
Vodafone Syntrack complex, CSS computer service solution, Isotis tissue engineering and
new materials. Han Hardy introduces his team and presents the park as space for synergy,
teamwork and mobile assistance, without forgetting the ecological component.
http://www.avantis.org
GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION
CROSS BORDER INFO
[GOV: Maastricht, November 28]
A cross border helpdesk known as the 'Grensinfopunt' goes live December 3. It will allow
private persons, business, institutions and other organizations from all over the
Netherlands to ask questions about cross border issues. The information center is the
product of cooperation among the ministries of the interior, the tax service of the
ministry of finance, the ministry of social affairs, the social insurance bank with its
German and Belgian desks and the province of Limburg. (Phone: 0800-0220145)
http://www.grensinfopunt.nl
PAYING FOR LIEGE
[GOV: Liège, November 26]
Walloon minister Daerden proposed a disbursement of European objective to funding in the
context of a meeting of the not for profit company L'avenirs du Pays de Liège. The
proposal made by the minister also in his role as titular mayor of Ans is designed to help
the creation of a Liège urban community. The projects supported were Cité des Sports,
Palais des Congès, Halles des foires de Coronmeuse. This destination of the funding was
not greeted by universal acclaim since it represents a difference in emphasis between
decisions taken at the Walloon level and those that the city would like to take.
http://www.lalibre.be
MEUSE RHINE SEMINAR
[GOV: Bilzen, November 26]
A seminar was held in the splendid setting of Alden Biesen on Meuse Rhine and European
citizenship. It was apparently a rerun of a seminar originally scheduled for April this
year and cancelled as a result of lack of interest. Numbers were made up on this occasion
by importing large numbers of the Senioren Party from Utrecht. After a mixed series
of presentations, a panel of journalists was given the task of discussing regional
prejudices - a rather odd point of departure, to say the least. This produced a rehash of
German, Dutch and Hollander jokes reminiscent of the Englishman, Scotsman and Welshman
variety. With the exception of interventions by the distinguished Liège journalist Lily
Portugaels, who pointed to the economic advantages of cross border cooperation,
contributions seemed both eccentric and irrelevant, which leads one to question the
programming skills of the organizers.
http://www.webcontentnow.com
CROSS BORDER CARE
[GOV: Liège, November 26]
cross border care is an Interreg III project which has recently been passed and
is now operative in Meuse-Rhine. It gives people in the Euroregion access to specialists
and hospital care at the most appropriate point of delivery. A recent study of its
forerunner project shows that in a four month period, 1600 people have used this cross
border system.
http://www.lalibre.be
ROMANIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT LIEGE
[GOV: Liège, November 25]
On the eve of his participation at the Laken summit as the chief of state of a
country which is a candidate for membership for the EU the Romanian president Ion Iliescu
will be visiting Liège on 14th December. The program includes a reception at the town
hall followed by one at the provincial palace and a visit to the inter allied war memorial
at Cointe. This will be followed by a working lunch at the chateau de Colonster with
members of the university community and Walloon minister Serge Kubla. All in all a busy
day for Mr Iliescu.
http://www.lameuse.be
11TH MEUSE-RHINE ARCHITECTURE PRIZE
[GOV: Maastricht, November 24]
The 11th Euroregional architecture prize in Meuse- Rhine was awarded on November 24 at the
Centre Ceramique in Maastricht based on the examination projects of the students. 26
candidates were selected from among 500 applicants. The first, second and third prizes are
worth EUR 2500, EUR 1250 and EUR 500. This year Aachen almost swept the board with Marc
Schwaberdissen of the FH Aachen coming first, Alexander Reder of the same institution
coming second and Maurice Jennekens Maastricht and Svenja Hennig Aachen tying for third
place.
http://www.eap-pea.org/
HOT PURSUIT
[GOV: Brussels, November 23]
North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) minister of the interior Frits Behrens wants to allow Belgian
police to cross the border in hot pursuit of criminals. A similar agreement already exits
with the Netherlands. For some apparently constitutional reason, the German federal
minister of Justice does not wish to apply the already existing German Swiss regulations
to Belgium and NRW.
http://www.aachener-zeitung.de
THE TONUS PLAN
[GOV: Liège, November 22]
The Walloon government has established a timetable for the Tonus plan designed to provide
exceptional regional funding to help municipalities deal with structural deficits. The
first tranche (2001-2003), already operative, of close to EUR 40bn is for the majority of
municipalities, the second (2001-2005), currently in preparation, is destined for the four
major towns including Liège.
http://www.lalibre.be
EUR 13m FOR 9 PROJECTS
[GOV: Maastricht November 21]
The first nine projects falling under the Interreg IIIa program for the five sub-regions
of Meuse-Rhine have been approved. The program runs from 2000 through to 2006. The
projects are financed on a 50-50 basis, half from Interreg and half from other sources.
The funding is available for the more than 50 Euroregions in Europe but will dry up when
East European states accede to the European treaty, since, at that time, they will soak up
the available funds. The projects include:(1) the promotion of tourism in the Goehltal
(worth 3.8m Euros) with walking routes in the Aachener Wald, pays d'Herve and
Mergelland;(2) the Couven route (worth EUR 218,500) past significant buildings of the 18th
Century architect Couven; (3) the rainbow project (worth EUR 1.5m) for the mentally
handicapped; (4) further development of the transnational University Limburg (worth EUR
2.6m); (5) PROQUA (worth EUR 1.4m) to increase the employability of candidates; (6) the
Euregio-Konekt project to reduce violence and prejudice among young people (worth EUR
557,400); (7) the Eurecard project (worth EUR 789.408), this is a brainchild of East
Belgian president Karl Heinz Lambert to facilitate the participation of physically
handicapped people in leisure pursuits across borders;(8) improved accident and employment
insurance in Meuse-Rhine (worth EUR 449.765) and finally(9) cross border care (worth EUR
2.1m). All in all, rather a mixed bunch of projects, not immediately bespeaking a great
deal of imagination. The project list comes from an article in the Regioblick by
Wolfgang Trees.
http://www.regioblick.de
ECB IN MAASTRICHT
[GOV; Maastricht November 19]
The European central bank will be holding a meeting in Maastricht on February 7, 2002 on
the tenth anniversary of the treaty. The meeting will bring together the governing council
of the bank including the board and the twelve presidents of the national banks.
http://www.limburg.nl
AUTONOMY FOR EAST BELGIUM?
[GOV; Eupen, November 17]
In president Karl Heinz Lambert's policy speech which we covered earlier, there was a
recurrent theme of autonomy. This came up again recently in a report in La Libre
Belgique which added the voice of Fred Evers, former mayor of Eupen, who stopped short
of proposing an eleventh German speaking province but wanted a better organization of
institutional structures, without leaving the embrace of the Walloon country.
http://www.lalibre.be
LIFE SCIENCE AND SCI-TECH
QUANTUM LEAP IN SLOW MOTION
[TEC: Liège, November 27]
EVS broadcasting equipment the Liège based world leader in slow motion filming announces
LSM-XT, a quantum leap in live slow motion and editing technology.
The chasis incorporates the HCT-S high band with disc controller and features the MultiCam
unified software which combines speed with flexibility. The LSM-XT operator can configure
the system to run in either normal or super motion mode or a mix of both. They will be
used extensively in stadiums throughout Korea and Japan for the 2002 World Soccer Cup.
http://www.evs.tv
INTEGRATED
PROCESSING SEQUENCES
[TEC: Aachen, November 26]
Driven by an increasing industrial demand for integrating processing sequences, comprising
pre-deposition, deposition and and post-deposition treatments for applications such as
insulator-on-silicon and complete gate stack/capacitor stack formation, Aixtron has
successfully integrated the new Rapid H2-Pre-Clean-, a metal-CVD-, and a rapid Thermal
Processing Module with Aixtron's Oxide-, SiGe/SiGe (C) Tricent MOCVD 200/300mm Cluster.
http://www,aixtron.com
DYAX OPENS AT LIEGE U
[LIFE-SCI: Liège, November 21]
The Dyax corporation which employs 240 worldwide and achieved a turnover of EUR 26.9m last
year is opening its Dyax S.A. center at the Sart Tilmon campus of the University of Liège
where they have taken a 1000m² incubator unit which represents a EUR 1.61m investment
(EUR 1m coming from the University with Meusinvest). Dyax Corp. is a biopharmaceutical
company that has developed and patented phage display technology with applications in the
discovery and development of a broad range of compounds for the treatment and diagnosis of
diseases and for the purification and manufacture of biopharmaceuticals and other
chemicals. Phage display technology assists in the discovery of peptides and proteins,
including human antibodies, which bind tightly to specific molecular targets. At Liège
this will include the development substances to be used in cancer therapy.
http://www.dyax.com
LIFE SCIENCES IN LIMBURG
[LIFE-SCI: Maastricht, November 20]
A major life sciences platform launched in Maastricht at Government House on November 20,
where a joint presentation was given, presenting the synergy of an approach combining
LIOF, Syntens, the University of Maastricht and the province. Following an introduction by
the university president Karl Dittrich, the parameters of the program were set forth by a
series of speakers. Jo de Mey of the university and the transnational university of
Limburg sketched and forecast the research scene at the university and the university
hospital, with its focus on life and its molecular basis, the exploration and management
of the human genome, bio-informatics and proteomics, epigenetics and education. He
mentioned, in passing, that Dolly was bigger than her progenitors. Professor de Mey was
followed by Harry Fekkers of the university's holding company who discussed information
exchange and the commercialization of knowledge and by dr Fred Bollen of LIOF who
discussed the prospects of cooperation in Meuse-Rhine pointing to the complementarity
among activities in the life sciences in Liège, Maastricht and Aachen. The province's Jan
Tindemans brought the afternoon to a conclusion.
www.unimaas.nl|
THE BOERHINGER INGELHEIM PRIZE
[LIFE-SCI: Liège, November 14]
The Boerhinger Ingelheim prize for fundamental research on thrombosis and hemostasis was
won by two young Walloon researchers, Jean-Marie Dogné of the University of Liège and
Bernard Masereel of Namur for research into new anti- thrombosis products.
http://www.ulg.ac.be
http://www.ulg.ac.be/le15jour/
HORMONES AND GROWTH
[LIFE-SCI: Liège, November 14]
The 19th conference of the French society for endocrinology (SFE) was held for the first
time in Belgium at the University of Liège from the 30th September to the 6th October.
Topics covered included a wide range of glandular dysfunction including diabetes thyroid
problems, osteoporosis and the male menopause.
http://andropause.prov-liege.be/homepage/index.htm
http://www.ulg.ac.be/le15jour/
LEISURE
INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE
[LEISURE: Maastricht, November 30]
A series of courses on the industrial heritage of Meuse-Rhine ,for the more mature
student, has encountered considerable success at the University of Maastricht. This, in
turn, has led to the establishment of a foundation for industrial heritage and education
in Limburg in cooperation with Het Monumentenhuis in Limburg. They will be continuing the
good work on the leisure time educational front and can be reached at the following
address: Stichting Industrieel Erfgoed en Educatie, Graaf van Waldeckstraat 17, 6212 AM,
Maastricht.
A NEW KNIGHT FOR AACHEN
[LEISURE: Aachen, November 25]
One of the major events of the Aachen social calendar is the mammoth carnival session
which goes under the heading of wider den tierischen Ernst which can also be seen
on TV, ARD, on 27th January. A highlight of the session is the award of a knighthood in
the wider den tierischen Ernst Order to a major celebrity. This year's winner is the Swiss
ambassador to Germany, Thomas Borer-Fielding, who has been characterized as a visionary
diplomat with a feel for marketing. The ambassador also has the additional asset in the
form of his wife, a former Texas beauty queen who goes by the name of Shawne. The couple
have apparently livened up the Berlin jetset.
http://www.Aachener-Zeitung.de
LEARNING DUTCH
[LEISURE: Rotterdam, November 23]
According to a book review in the authoritative Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad by
Professor von der Dunk, currently more Germans are learning Dutch than Dutch are learning
German, which, in view of the size of the two countries, is a quite remarkable stare of
affairs. Professor von der Dunk uses this anecdote in the introduction to a review of a
book on the history of North Western Europe which deals with the essential unity of the
area principally the Benelux countries and North West Germany. The book entitled Der
europäische Prägungen und Beziehungen by Horst Lademacher. It looks like a good
Christmas present for the Euregianer.
http://www.nrc.nl
TOP BELGIAN CHEF
[LEISURE: Liège, November 21]
The Prosper Montagné prize for the best chef in Belgium for 2002 has gone to
Jean-François Begon of La Bergamotte restaurant, 72 Boulevard Ernest Solvay in Herstal.
Our trencherman will check this address out and report back soonest.
http://www.webcontentnow.com
BOOKS AND PRINTS AT THE PLATTE ZAOL
[LEISURE: Maastricht, November 21]
Next summer will see the first Meuse-Rhine book and print fair to be held on the 12th,13th
and 14th July 2002 at the Platte Zoal in Wyck. Fifty antiquarians will be presenting their
collections from the Netherlands, 10 from Germany and 10 from Belgium. The fair is an
initiative of the new Maastricht-Wyck foundation which includes a number of prominent
local citizens namely Jan-Willem Bertens, hotelier restauranteur Camille Oostwegel, Bert
de Vries, hotelier Harry Beaumont and antiquarian Ton Stiller of the Rechtstraat.
http://www.limburger.nl
MAASTRICHT COMPOSER WINS PRIZE
[LEISURE: Maastricht, November 19]
Jean Lambrechts, a musical euro, was a special show to honor the Tongres born Maastricht
composer Jean Lambrechts who received a Limburg merit award from Deputy Maarten Eurlings
at the Bonbonnière recently.
http://www.ld.nl
A WONDERFUL DAY
[LEISURE: Kerkrade, November 19]
The Dutch German co-production of the Eschweiler Tanzstudio and Sport and Dans Company
Kirchroeatsjer Meedsjer, A Wonderful Day, was so successful that the producers decided on
a repeat performance for November 25.
http://www.aachener-zeitung.de
COLLECTORS RENDEZ-VOUZ
[LEISURE: Gulpen, November 17]
A major art and antique exhibition will be held at the Piramide in Gulpen from the 1st to
the 9th December between 12:00-19:00.
http://www.rococo.nl
THE GRANDE DAME
[LEISURE: Maastricht, November 15
A special dinner, with the musical accompaniment of Thei Dols, heralded the completion of
a major facelift at the Grande Hotel de L' Empereur, opposite the station in Maastricht .
The restoration of the hotel which dates from 1905 was carried out with special attention
to the marl limestone facades and the paintwork. The hotel belongs to the new Amrath chain
belonging to Giovanni van Eijl. Mr van Eijl also owns the Hotel du Casque in Maastricht,
Grand Hotel Heerlen, the Amrath Hotel in Born Sittard and many others throughout the
Netherlands. It is whispered that he was recently offered the Hotel Bedford in Liège.
http://www.webcontent.com
WATERSPORTS
[LEISURE: Wuerseln, November 7]
The Aquana swimming pool in Wuerseln will be holding swimming competitions for all the
schools in Meuse-Rhine in the next six months.
http://www.aquana.de
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