Many public- and private-sector workers in Belgium are threatening a 24-hour strike designed to shut the country's transportation network and close the main airports on the day of the EU summit, Belgian news media reported.

Belgians are striking because their government has made it harder for them to retire early and has cut back on unemployment benefits, as part of an austerity budget aimed at bringing its deficit within the EU limit of 3% this year.

As part of the strike, planes will also likely to be grounded at Belgium's main airport, Brussels Airport, after pilots agreed to take part in the stoppages, trade unions said.

According to the Belga agency, Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo has asked the defence ministry to prepare a contingency plan for using the military airport of Beauvechain, 30 kilometers east of the capital.