Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

General strike in Belgium as EU leaders meet

Updated at 9:32 am on 31 January 2012

Belgium is paralysed by a national strike as European Union leaders meet in Brussels to discuss the continent's economic crisis.

Military airfields may be used to help them arrive and leave Brussels, as transport services were at a standstill.

Trains also halted on Monday. The ABC reports no buses, trams or metro trains were running.

Several flights were cancelled and others delayed at Brussels airport.

It is the first general strike in Belgium since 2005. Unions are angry over public spending cuts for 2012.

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