Belgium in Brief: What Did Brexit Take From You?

Belgium in Brief: What Did Brexit Take From You?
Credit: canva

For those of us used to buying from the UK, Brexit came as a blow, one I only truly realised the extent of after one silly purchase and a hefty customs charge on delivery.

Never again, I said. It's a promise I've stuck to.

Not surprisingly, it turns out things are just as bad on the other side of the divide, with a new study showing that British businesses and individuals spent approximately €2.6 billion (£2.2 billion) between January and July on import duties alone.

That's an astounding 42% increase on stats for the first seven months of 2020. Read more about it here.

While this focus may be on the UK side, it got me thinking about how habits on both sides of the Channel have been forced to change in the Brexit aftermath.

Living in a foreign country comes with many benefits but inevitably we all miss some obscure thing from home. Maybe it's a certain food or perhaps a particular brand of soap.

Hell, for me, it's a luminous pink toothpaste of all things.

For now, my stocks are high, but there will come a time when I won't be able to source this for a reasonable price. A part of my daily routine that has moved with me overseas might disappear, soon to be a once-in-a-while luxury item that I  must stash away in hand luggage.

That's remarkably hard-hitting for such a small thing, but I'm sure we all have our own little piece of home.

So, what's your thing? What do you need?

Let @johnstonjules know (or email me j.johnston@brusselstimes.com

BUT WAIT, one last thing: Want news from The Brussels Times in your inbox every morning? Sign up for The Recap, a free daily newsletter containing all the stories you need to know from the day before. It goes great with your morning coffee. 

Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your lunch break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:

1. Number of metro and train passengers highest since start of coronavirus crisis

The number of people travelling by metro in Brussels and trains reached levels similar to those of pre-Covid times at the start of this month as people slowly start returning to the office. Read more.

2. Just 6% of cases reported: Sexual harassment ‘normalised’ in Belgium

Nine in ten women and girls in several of Belgium’s biggest cities have experienced sexual harassment in public spaces. But these incidents are rarely reported to the police.

3. Brussels names street after murdered sex worker to draw attention to femicide

A new street in Brussels will be named after murdered Nigerian sex worker Eunice Osayande to draw attention to all the women who became victims of human trafficking, sexual violence and femicide. Read more.

4. Climate Coalition will take to the streets of Brussels in October

Organised by the Climate Coalition, the march will see over 80 organisations from across Belgium convening in Brussels, including 11.11.11, Oxfam, and Youth For Climate. Read more.

5. ‘Serious things’ to happen if Brussels’ vaccination rate doesn’t rise, warns expert

The coronavirus situation in the Brussels-Capital Region is worrying and “serious things” are going to happen there but the hospitals are already at their limit, says infectious disease expert Erika Vlieghe. Read more.

6. Brussels library to sell its CD collection on Car Free Sunday

In a push to clear its stock of CDs, Muntpunt will be selling over 25,000 CDs this Car Free Sunday, with a portion of proceeds going to local charities. Read more.

7. Number of coronavirus infections and hospitalisations decreasing

Both the number of new coronavirus infections and the number of people being hospitalised as a result of the virus is decreasing in Belgium, following weeks of both figures slowly rising. Read more.


Copyright © 2024 The Brussels Times. All Rights Reserved.