Brussels Airport adds 8 manual booths and 6 e-gates to ease Entry-Exit System queues
Brussels Airport races to expand passport control as EES bottlenecks bite
Commission impatience grows as Belgium misses another EU Blue Card deadline
Latest News
Flemish Government halts new Brussels Airport flight paths in escalating noise dispute
Flanders has suspended a federal plan to alter Brussels Airport’s landing procedures, arguing the changes could increase aircraft noise in the Flemish suburbs. The move pauses implementation for at least 60 days and injects new uncertainty for airlines and companies that rely on Belgium’s main hub.
Parliamentary bill would give Blue Card applicants a 90-day decision deadline
A draft law approved in committee would force the Belgian Immigration Office to rule on EU Blue Card cases within 90 days, with automatic approval if the deadline is missed. The change aims to speed up talent recruitment—particularly from Morocco—and could take effect as early as 2027.
Ryanair pulls Brussels–Marrakesh route as Belgian aviation tax drives fresh winter cuts
Ryanair will drop its Brussels Zaventem–Marrakesh flight and 19 other Belgian routes this winter, citing a 250 percent rise in national ticket taxes. The cut strips 1.1 million seats from Belgium’s aviation market and forces travellers to use Charleroi or alternative airlines.
Cabinet agenda flags overhaul of foreigners clauses in Belgian Penal Code
The 23 October ministerial agenda lists a forthcoming bill to harmonise ‘legislation relative to foreigners’ within Belgium’s Penal Code. The reform is expected to toughen and streamline criminal provisions on immigration offences, with potential knock-on effects for employers and relocation providers.
EU’s Strategic Committee on Immigration meets in Brussels to fine-tune Pact implementation
The EU’s Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum met in Brussels on 22 October to review the first months of implementing the Migration and Asylum Pact, including biometric border checks and return procedures. Belgium presented an interoperability pilot, while member states called for better traveller information tools. Outcomes will influence the documents and processes that corporate assignees face at Schengen borders.
Brussels Airport warns of parking shortages as autumn holiday rush peaks
Brussels Airport says car parks are "very busy" through 22 October because of overlapping school holidays, leaving only a limited number of spaces. Passengers and staff are urged to use rail or coach alternatives, and businesses are warned to allow extra time for landside congestion. The situation highlights a growing landside capacity issue that can disrupt business travel itineraries even when flights operate normally.