Good afternoon, bonjour and goeiemiddag!
Following yesterday’s political rollercoaster, today seems to be much quieter on the government front. Maybe now that budget negotiations are on hold until Friday, all the ministers are finally catching up on some sleep.
This week, King Philippe will be consulting with party leaders to assess the situation while he holds PM Bart De Wever’s (N-VA) resignation under consideration. The PM is due for a royal visit again on Friday, which should bring some more clarity.
Until then, we have a story for you about management companies in Belgium. Reporter Christopher Richards explains what they are (a tax dodge, or a legitimate way to structure a business?), and why they got so tangled up in the budget negotiations. Read more here.
On the same topic, we also have an explainer about what will happen to Belgium financially now that it is as good as certain that a 2027 budget deal will not be found in time.
The simple answer is that the country will work with an emergency budget, often referred to in Belgium as “provisional twelfths.” But what does that entail, and why would De Wever rather resign than fall back on that system? Find out here.
And lastly, we look at a question asked by many internationals moving to Brussels: why don’t Belgians refrigerate their eggs?
One person said that she was “genuinely shocked” when she saw that supermarkets stored their eggs at room temperature. “I even remember looking around the refrigerators to see if there were any other eggs, just so I wouldn’t have to buy the ones sitting on the shelves.”
But where does the difference in practices come from? And why does it matter? Contributor Elif Sabri has the answer.
And before I let you go, I want to draw your attention to an interesting event we’re organising on Tuesday 10 November: the EU-Jamaica Business Forum, at La Bellone in Brussels.
Organised in partnership with the Jamaican Embassy, this high-level discussion will bring together senior diplomats and EU officials to explore opportunities and challenges in Europe-Jamaica relations.
The discussion’s main focus will be trade and investment opportunities, as well as Jamaica’s role as a Caribbean hub for developing AI talent for the European market. If you are interested, please join us for an evening of Jamaican music, food and culture.
Want to be there? Register your interest through the RSVP link for the EU-Jamaica Business Forum.
As always, if you have any comments, tips or suggestions, you can find me at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
Have a good day!
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. Management companies: The tax fight inside Belgium’s budget crisis
Management companies have become a lightning rod for budget negotiations and, according to one expert, signal a much-needed debate over how Belgium taxes labour. Read more.
2. King consults Belgian party leaders following PM De Wever’s resignation
An offer from Anders the Flemish-speaking liberals to Les Engagés to form an alternative majority government has been rejected. Read more.
3. ‘Emergency budget’ becoming inevitable for Belgium: What does it mean?
Without a deal, the federal government will have to work with an “emergency budget,” also known as “provisional twelfths" – precisely what De Wever wanted to avoid. Read more.
4. Antwerp ‘rabbi’ appeals ruling over bid to expel US ambassador from Belgium
Antwerp rabbi Moshe Friedman has appealed a Brussels court ruling rejecting his bid to have US Ambassador Bill White declared persona non grata. Read more.
5. Belgian prince stands trial over €54 million tax evasion scheme
Accused of running tax evasion services for Europe's wealthy, Belgian prince Henri de Croÿ was one of the first defendants in the "Dubai Papers" trial Monday. Read more.
6. Belgian fixed term energy contracts have climbed €1,400 since March
In Brussels, the average unit price for gas has more than doubled, moving from 5.47 c€/kWh in March to 11.47 c€/kWh now. Read more.
7. Where are the eggs stored: Culture or science?
"When I came here and I saw eggs being stored on shelves at room temperature, I was genuinely shocked." Read more.
