Brussels, 16/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - Belgian Liberal Frédérique Ries, who was elected to the European Parliament in 1999, has become the Belgian Secretary of State for European and Foreign Affairs, alongside the Minister Louis Michel. She takes over from Jacques Simonet, who becomes Minister-President of the Brussels government, taking over from Daniel Ducarme (who resigned when it came to light that he had been evading taxation for several years).