In May, Belgian corporate courts recorded 854 bankruptcies, an 18.7% drop compared to April’s 1,051 cases, according to data released on Friday by the national statistical office, Statbel.
The total number of bankruptcies was also 3.8% lower than in May 2025.
Regionally, Flanders saw an increase in bankruptcies, with 574 cases — 1.6% more than in May 2025, and 6.7% more than in May 2024. This figure also set a record for the month of May, surpassing the previous peak of 565, set in May 2025.
Wallonia reported 127 bankruptcies, while Brussels Region recorded 153 cases during the same period.
Two sectors experienced notable increases in bankruptcies compared to April: transport and warehousing, which registered 70 cases, the highest number since March, when there were 83, and agriculture and fishing, which experienced 7 bankruptcies, the largest number since March 2026, when 10 were recorded.
Comparing May 2026 to May 2024 and 2025, four sectors showed significant growth in bankruptcies: services other than transport, hospitality, retail, information, and communication, with 146 cases; transport and warehousing with 70 cases; industry and energy with 49 cases; and agriculture and fisheries with 7 cases.
Job losses associated with the May 2026 bankruptcies totalled 1,655, a 30.3% reduction from April’s 2,374.
That figure represented a decline of 5.3% compared to May 2025 and 17.2% compared to May 2024.
