Confidential Deal Commits Flanders to Subsidise Antwerp and Ostend Airports Until 2039
Maintenance works to disrupt Brussels eastern rail ring over next three weekends
Brussels Airport passport queues top two hours as EU Entry/Exit System strains peak summer traffic
Latest News
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.