The Brussels-Capital Region
BRUSSELS - CAPITAL OF BELGIUM AND EUROPE
The Brussels-Capital Region is composed of 19 communes and has a total surface of 162 km² (about 0.5 % of Belgium’s total). It has been officially recognized as the capital of Europe since 1992.
Decision Centre
Despite its small size in world-wide terms, with a population just above a million, Brussels is home to major multinational headquarters as well as international organizations such as the European Union and NATO but also the Western European Union, the Customs Cooperation Council, Eurocontrol and some 1,750 others…not to mention most of the Belgian companies headquarters and the many interest groups.
It is estimated that about 8,000 people are actively involved in lobbying in Brussels.
One of the greenest capital cities in Europe with such an important international presence, Brussels is one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities, home to a large foreign community of business executives, officials, interpreters, diplomats and journalists.
For more than a millennium, this crossroad of cultures and styles has thrived right at the heart of Western Europe.
Brussels never fails to charm.
Business World
The Brussels-Capital Region is home to some 54,000 businesses, of which around 1,300 originate from foreign countries.
These foreign companies come largely from the tertiary sector i.e. business and finance activities, lobbying, legal and fiscal services, communication and research departments…
They come from far beyond the European Union, evidencing the interest the business world has for the city.
Several reasons motivated their choice:
- Proximity to the major European institutions and access to first-hand information
- Direct access to 455 million consumers
- Central location in Europe and hub for distribution activities
- Competitive cost for both property and labour forces
- Multilingualism and easy recruitment of native speakers
- Favourable fiscal regimes for coordination, distribution and service centres
- Quality of life and cosmopolitan lifestyle
- High labour productivity
BRUSSELS - ECONOMIC
With about 10 % of the population of Belgium, the Brussels-Capital Region produces 19.3 % of the country’s gross national product. The Brussels economy is a service-oriented economy; furthermore, more than 80 % of the companies are SME’s.
BRUSSELS - CONFERENCES AND FAIRS
Many conferences, exhibitions and trade fairs are held in the Brussels Region.
Conferences ...
The world's No. 2 international conference centre, the Belgian capital hosts more than 1,000 business conferences a year.
... fairs, exhibitions, and infrastructures!
The well-equipped Brussels infrastructures include the Brussels Exhibition & Conference Centre, on the Heysel plateau, with a covered area of 130,000 m2, 14 meeting rooms and 12 exhibition halls. And, of course, an auditorium seating around 12,000 … In other words, this massive centre has endless possibilities.
In the city centre, the new 'Square' conference centre can host smaller events.
Visit www.brusselsinternational.be
BRUSSELS EXPORTs
The Brussels-Capital region represents around 4.2 % of the exports of Belgium if we take only commodities into account. But this amount increases to nearly 20 % if the services are included. Over 50 % of the products made in Brussels are exported.
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