EU to bar Russian ex-combatants from Schengen visas; Belgian authorities begin security checks ahead of October enforcement
Tomorrowland influx triggers three-hour passport queues for non-EU travellers at Brussels Airport
Cross-border rail disrupted as engineering works cut Brussels–Amsterdam EuroCity service until tonight
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Maintenance works to disrupt Brussels eastern rail ring over next three weekends
• Track and overhead-line renewal on Brussels’ eastern rail ring will halt trains on the weekends of 25 July, 1 August and 8 August, with knock-on effects for airport and EU-quarter travellers. • SNCB will reroute services and honour rail tickets on local buses, but door-to-door journeys could be 30-40 minutes longer. • Corporate travel planners should alert staff and visitors, build in extra time for airport connections, and monitor the SNCB journey planner for last-minute changes.
Brussels Airport passport queues top two hours as EU Entry/Exit System strains peak summer traffic
• Non-EU passengers at Brussels Airport waited up to two hours at passport control on 22 July as full biometric registration under the EU Entry/Exit System collided with peak-summer demand. • The queues highlight ongoing implementation issues with EES and raise the prospect of wider disruption during Belgium’s busiest holiday weeks and major events such as Tomorrowland. • Companies are advised to build extra buffer time into itineraries for staff and visitors departing Brussels and to monitor airline alerts as authorities rush to add officers and e-gates.
Belgium to Cap Single-Permit Processing at 90 Days from 2027
Belgium will transpose the revised EU Single-Permit Directive by May 2027, imposing a hard 90-day limit on processing combined work-and-residence permits for non-EU nationals. The reform should make Belgium more competitive for foreign talent, give permit holders greater job mobility, and reduce compliance risk for employers planning international assignments.
Belgian ‘Summer Agreement’ softens planned hike in air-passenger tax
Belgium’s Federal Government has decided to raise its boarding (air-passenger) tax to €7 instead of the previously announced €10 for flights over 500 km. The softer increase eases pressure on airlines and corporate travel budgets, but still represents a 40 % cost jump from today’s €5 rate and will take effect on 1 January 2027.
STIB summer works to cut tram lines 7, 10 and 35 for up to four weeks
• From 27 July to 30 August, STIB will close or shorten tram lines 7, 10 and 35 to carry out track-renewal and embankment repairs in north-east Brussels. • Replacement shuttle buses and extended bus routes 47/56 will keep Docks Bruxsel, Heysel and Neder-Over-Heembeek connected, but travellers should expect longer journey times. • The month-long works coincide with festival traffic and expatriate moves; corporate mobility teams should alert staff, update relocation itineraries and monitor STIB’s real-time tools.
Belgian Asylum Minister Halves Brussels Reception Capacity, Axing 700 Beds
The federal government will eliminate 700 of Brussels’ 2,000 federally funded asylum beds, citing cost savings and shorter waiting lists. Regional officials and NGOs warn the measure could push vulnerable migrants onto the streets and strain local services, creating knock-on risks for employers that rely on timely asylum decisions.