Belgian Core Cabinet caps new flight tax at €7 to spare travellers longer routes
Brussels Airport traffic up 3.6% in first half of 2026 despite strikes and Middle-East reroutings
Red alert for holiday traffic: Belgian VAB and Touring warn of severe jams across Europe
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Brussels launches month-long Midi Fair, triggers traffic diversions around Gare du Midi
Brussels’ month-long Midi Fair, which began on 18 July, is diverting traffic around Gare du Midi and altering public-transport patterns. Mobility managers should allow extra transfer time for rail arrivals and brief relocating staff on temporary bus and taxi changes.
Brussels Airport passport control overwhelmed as EES debuts on Tomorrowland’s opening day
Non-EU passengers arriving for Tomorrowland on 17 July faced passport-control waits of three to five hours at Brussels Airport as the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) was put to its first major test. The delays highlight staffing shortages and raise concerns for business travellers and global-mobility managers during Belgium’s busiest travel period.
Belgium’s Asylum Minister halves Brussels reception capacity, cutting 700 more places
Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt has ordered the closure of another 700 federally funded reception places in Brussels, halving the capacity created under the 2022 Brussels Deal. Regional leaders warn the cuts will push asylum seekers onto the streets and strain social services.
Belgian Asylum Minister halves Brussels reception capacity, sparking warnings of a ‘social crisis’
Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt will cut an additional 700 reception places in Brussels, halving the capital’s asylum-housing scheme and prompting regional ministers to warn of a looming “social crisis”. The move could slow asylum processing and undermine access to refugee talent, adding complexity for employers and mobility managers.
Eurostar cancels and delays multiple services through Brussels on 17 July 2026
Operational restrictions forced Eurostar to cancel several trains and delay many more on 17 July 2026, causing significant disruption at Brussels-Midi and on connecting Belgian lines. The incident affected business travellers and cross-border commuters who rely on the high-speed link for same-day trips between Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the UK.
EU ministers mull tougher visa leverage and offshore ‘return hubs’ at Dublin meeting – Belgium signals conditional support
At an informal Justice and Home Affairs meeting in Dublin, EU ministers – including Belgium’s delegation – considered using visa restrictions more aggressively to pressure third countries on readmission and discussed controversial ‘return hubs’ outside the EU. Belgium signalled conditional support, highlighting the need for human-rights safeguards and predictability for legitimate travellers and businesses.
Tomorrowland rush exposes long passport queues as EU Entry/Exit System beds in
Non-EU attendees flying in for Tomorrowland faced passport-control waits of two to six hours on 17 July, highlighting teething problems with the EU’s new Entry/Exit System at Brussels Airport. The episode signals wider risks for business travellers and assignees entering Belgium during peak season.
Brussels Airport posts H1 traffic growth despite strikes and air-traffic-control walkout
Traffic figures released 17 July show Brussels Airport carrying 11.68 million passengers (+3.6 %) and boosting cargo volumes despite strikes and a June air-traffic-control shutdown. New long-haul routes strengthen connectivity, but analysts caution that recurring labour unrest could undermine the hub’s competitiveness.