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Bereavement leave in the event of euthanasia: will it be possible to change one’s mind?
In Belgium, workers are entitled to special leave for certain family events, civil obligations or legal proceedings. Bereavement leave, the duration of which depends on the relationship to the deceased, is one such form of leave. In February 2026, a bill proposed by the MR aimed at ‘making the bereavement leave...
News Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
Alberta (Canada): a setback for the expansion of euthanasia?
With Bill 18,the Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act, the Canadian province of Alberta intends to restrict access to medical assistance in dying (MAID). Introduced in March 2026 and passed at third...
News Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
Euthanasia in cases of advanced dementia: a further extension of Belgian law?
When, in November 2025, Belgium’s Bioethics Advisory Committee issued an opinion in favour of extending euthanasia to cases of advanced dementia, it was expected that such a stance would reignite parliamentary debate on...
News Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
United Kingdom – Assisted suicide bill fails: ‘We need more care, not more deaths’
The bill to decriminalise assisted suicide in England and Wales was ultimately not passed. Friday 24 April, the final day of the parliamentary session, marked the end of lengthy debates in the House of Lords, which had...
News Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
A 50% rise in euthanasia cases over three years in Belgium: is death on demand a remedy for old age and dependency?
On 20 March, the Federal Commission for the Control and Evaluation of Euthanasia in Belgium (CFCEE) released the figures relating to euthanasia cases reported in 2025.
The number of euthanasia cases officially carried out last year thus reached a new record: 4,486 cases were reported to the Commission. This figure represents a 12.4% increase compared to 2024, a 51% rise over three years, and has...
News Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
Scotland – Rejection of the assisted suicide bill: a strong signal at European level?
On 17 March 2026, the Scottish Parliament rejected the “Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill” at its third reading, by 69 votes to 57. This vote brings to an end a legislative process lasting nearly two years,...
News Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
Bioethics in 2026: what developments can we expect at Belgian and European level?
The coming year promises to bring important new debates in several European countries and at European Union level, particularly on artificial reproduction, surrogacy, euthanasia and abortion, but also on new issues...
News Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
Belgium: Bioethics Advisory Committee in favour of extending advance euthanasia declarations to persons who have become incapable of deciding for themselves
In an opinion issued on 10 November 2025, Belgium's Bioethics Advisory Committee unanimously recommended amending the law on euthanasia to extend the scope of advance euthanasia declarations. The Committee proposed that...