News and Events -----------

On the evening of Wednesday 10 December the Arts Society Brussels is asking the question: What about Beauty? The question relates to Art Deco architecture that is often seen as a luxury movement attempting to counter purist modernism and industrial mass production.

This talk will examine the web of relations between these parallel tendencies taking a look at some fine examples of Art Deco in Brussels and the links between beauty and function, including some remarks on Henry van de Velde who 'never succumbed to the lure of Art Deco' but whose intimate modernism and theoretical concepts relate to the more indulgent architecture of the interbellum.

The speaker is Olaf Winkler who studied architecture in Aachen and Vienna and AT and is a journalist, architecture critic, editor, Brussels correspondent for db Deutsche Bauzeitung, architecture guide, and artist.

As ever, the venue will be the Maison Communale of Woluwe St. Lambert, Avenue Paul Hymans 2, 1200 Brussels. Doors open for complimentary drinks at 19h30 with the talk beginning at 20h00.

Members of the ArtSoc have free entrance, but guests can pay at the door (€15 or €8 for bona fide students) and registration to view the talk via Zoom costs €10.

More information here: https://theartssociety.org/events/what-about-beauty-art-deco-withversus-modernism

Holy Trinity Church has just published its programme of Christmas services to which all are welcomed.

On Sunday 7 December at 18h00 experience CHRISTMAS LIGHT: a Carol Service with a mixture of traditional and contemporary carols followed by Christmas refreshments.

On Sunday 14 December there will be two services featuring NINE LESSONS & CAROLS. The first at 16h00 will be a traditional Carol Service with biscuits for the children and at 19h30 there will be a traditional Carol Service followed by mulled wine and mince pies!

Christmas week itself kicks off on Sunday 21 December a special service at 18h00 - LIGHT IN DARKNESS. This will be a quiet reflective service for people who, for whatever reason, find the Christmas season difficult. This service will also be available online.

On Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24 December, there will be a CHRISTMAS NATIVITY SERVICE FOR ALL AGES at 16h00 where all children are welcome to come dressed as angels, shepherds or even sheep!

CHRISTMAS NIGHT HOLY COMMUNION will be held from 22h00.

On Christmas Day, Thursday 25 December, there will be three services of HOLY COMMUNION. The service at 9h00 will follow the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, while the 10h30 service will be a service for all ages. Finally, a service at 15h00 will be delivered in French and English and followed by the Christmas Feast organised by the 2pm congregation.

All are welcome to the services at Holy Trinity, which is situated in central Brussels at Rue Capitaine Crespel29. For more details on the poster below and on the Holy Trinity website.

Avoid the last-minute rush at the Brussels Women's Club Christmas Fair on Saturday 29 November! Discover one-of-a-kind gifts and festive treats, including seasonal specialties, mince pies, home-baked cakes, jams and chutneys, hand-crafted decorations and wreaths, custom jewelry, children’s toys and books, cards, and so much more. Plus, enjoy delicious homemade goodies all day at the Non-Stop Café.

No need to register — just drop in to the BWC Clubhouse in Woluwe Saint Pierre between 10am and 2pm and enjoy the magic! More information here: https://brusselswomens.club/events/christmas-fair-2025/

The Association Femmes d’Europe invites you to its annual Christmas Bazaar taking place on Saturday 29 November in Brussels. This is a festive occasion where you will discover, all in one place, a brilliant selection of splendid gifts, and also support a good cause.

The venue for the Bazaar will be the European Commission buildings at Rue Joseph II 79, 1000 Bruxelles (nearest Métro Maelbeek) and the Bazaar will be open from 10h00 to 17h00.

At the Bazaar you will find gourmet delicacies from the four corners of Europe, winter accessories such as scarves, hats and shawls, artisanal leather goods and jewellery, soaps, hand knits and ornaments, a classy brocante and books for all ages, plus activities for children. The tombola will be drawn at 15h00!

Christmas is a time for sharing, discovery and generosity and every purchase will support humanitarian projects worldwide. In 2024 total charitable funds distributed by the Association Femmes d’Europe amounted to € 315 400 supporting 73 projects in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia.

More information here: https://www.assocfemmesdeurope.eu/BAZAR-DE-NOEL-29-Novembre

Whether you are relocating, investing, or planning your dream home abroad, understanding your borrowing options is key. To help, the Expat Welcome Desk is organising an ‘in person’ seminar at lunchtime on Thursday 20 November at their Brussels office.

The seminar will provide a clear overview of the key considerations, challenges, and available solutions related to borrowing and mortgages for expatriates in Belgium. It will share up-to-date insights and practical information to help participants better navigate the Belgian lending and mortgage environment.

To register for the seminar email contact@commissioner.brussels before 16h00 on Friday 13 November. But be quick, places are limited (60 maximum) and the session will not be live streamed or recorded.

The venue for the seminar will be the Office of the Brussels Commissioner for Europe and International Organisations (CEIO) at 63 Avenue d’Auderghem, 1040 Etterbeek.

The session will be moderated by Selma Mitri, Legal Advisor-Manager at the Expat Welcome Desk and the speakers will be Franky Van den Broucke and Nina Zynga, both from ING Belgium.

Presentations will start at 12h00 and will be followed by a Q&A session and a sandwich lunch.

Our Autumn 2025 e-Newsletter has just been published and sent to our members contact list.

As ever the newsletter highlights recent community news and forthcoming exciting community events including BBCA events – don’t forget our fabulous Christmas Reception on 15 December!  A range of other community activities plus many dates for your diary into the New Year are also featured.

You can access a pdf copy of the newsletter here. Enjoy!

On the evening of Thursday 4 December 2025 the rising British vocal ensemble The Mancunium Consort from Manchester will be performing a special advent concert at the Domaine de la Bataille 1815 in Waterloo.

In Waterloo, the audience will experience an exceptional and innovative evening, as the concert will take place in the heart of the museum, blending the richness of the British choral tradition with some beautiful Christmas carols.

The cost of entrance (€30) includes:

• A visit to the museum from 18h30 to 19h45
• The concert in various spaces throughout the museum at 20h:00
• A complimentary drink after the concert, in the presence of the singers

Prior reservation is required, and you can reserve your tickets by contacting the performance promoter Guy Geron via email.

The Mancunium Consort is a professional vocal ensemble originating in Manchester, UK founded by Harry Mobbs and Joseph Taylor in 2023. Their ambition is to share the joy and passion for Choral Music with a global audience, and to widen the platform for professional singers in the North of the UK.

Considered to be one of the finest a cappella octets in the United Kingdom, before crossing the Channel, the group will have completed an extensive tour in their home including performances in Cardiff, London, Liverpool, and Folkestone.

They will also be performing two further concerts in Belgium on 5 December (Korsele) and 6 December (Mons). You can hear a sample of their music here. 

Our Friends at British in Europe have been working on the EU-funded ICE (Inform, Connect, Empower) project. As part of this they have drafted a legal report on the (Brexit) Withdrawal Agreement (WA) and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights implementation for the 1.2 million UK citizens living in the EU.

This is the first report of its kind focusing on this community, backed up by BiE’s practical experience of the WA negotiations and cases that BiE have worked on across 11 country groups within the ICE project. You can access the full report here. 

The report outlines a number of recommendations from the ICE project based on BiE’s experience of implementation of the WA since 2020. These are listed below.

1. Up to date information and instructions on upgrading to permanent residence

In 2025 and 2026, the majority of WA beneficiary rights holders’ and their family members’ status under the WA will evolve and upgrade to permanent residence. During this period, BiE recommend:

- Ongoing monitoring of the process by the European Commission;

- Clear and regular reminders from the European Commission to national authorities concerning the requirements for the acquisition of permanent residence and the rules around absences;

- Requests to national authorities to keep their websites up to date and that central instructions are sent to the authorities at national/regional/local level;

- Central publicity and information to WA beneficiaries about the evolution of their status and how they may obtain a new residence card evidencing their acquisition of permanent residence.

2. Publicity about the EES and ETIAS systems and how they will apply to WA beneficiaries

Providing clear information about how WA beneficiaries and their family members will be affected by the new EU entry/exit systems is crucial. Practical guidelines on how these systems will work on the ground and across different entry and exit points across the EU (e.g. airports, train stations, ports) are key.

3. Collecting data on WA implementation across the EU

The work of BiE has highlighted the need for more up to date statistics concerning issues that arise with WA implementation. This is particularly important during 2025 and 2026 as upgrades to permanent residence occur and the new EES system is put in place.

4. Strategic litigation

There are several key questions concerning WA implementation that would benefit from referral to the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU). For example, whether family reunification rights of WA beneficiaries can only be used once for any individual family member remains an open question. The Commission has not to date brought any cases against Member States in relation to potential breaches of the WA relating to citizens’ rights, and citizens’ rights groups have to date lacked funding to initiate strategic litigation.

5. Funding organisations that provide advice to WA beneficiaries

Information on issues concerning WA implementation is largely identified through citizens’ rights organisations working across the EU and through Your Europe Advice, the EU’s outsourced advice service, where WA beneficiaries regularly turn for advice on their legal position. Both citizens’ rights organisations representing the interests of WA beneficiaries, and Your Europe Advice must continue to be funded to do this work.

You can support British in Europe’s work by making a donation through this webpage.

The Brussels Branch of the Royal British Legion will be holding its annual Service of Remembrance and Commemoration at the beautiful Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Heverlee, south of Leuven, on Sunday 9 November 2025 from 10h45.

The cemetery at Heverlee is the final resting place of more than 1,000 service men and women from seven nations and from both World Wars.

This year’s event will be held in the presence of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Anne Sherriff and she will be joined by veterans, civilians and serving military personnel from the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Poland, New Zealand, the United States and other nations. Once again the Military Wives Choir Belgium and local Scout groups will also participate in the service.

The Service of Commemoration will be led by the Revd Canon John Wilkinson and a collection will be taken after the Service in aid of the annual Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

This service is open to all and if you have any questions about the event, please contact contact Mika-John Southworth, the RBL Brussels Events Coordinator. David Bizley, RBL Brussels Poppy Appeal Coordinator, can also provide wreaths and purchase details.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) started operation on 12 October and will be deployed gradually across the external borders of the 29 European countries in the Schengen Area (25 EU member states and 4 non-EU countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland)) over a period of six months. These European countries will introduce the different elements of the EES in phases, including the collection of biometric data, such as facial image and fingerprints. It is planned that from 10 April 2026, the EES will be fully operational at all Schengen external border crossing points.

But how does the EES apply to Brexit Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries?

UK nationals and their family members who are beneficiaries of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement will be exempt from registration in the EES only if they hold a specific residence document. These documents are:

• a valid Withdrawal Agreement residence document issued by the Member State that is their Withdrawal Agreement host State (M card in Belgium);
• a valid Withdrawal Agreement frontier worker document issued by the Member State that is their Withdrawal Agreement State of work (N card in Belgium) ;
• a valid special temporary Withdrawal Agreement residence document issued by the Member State that is their Withdrawal Agreement host State; or
• a certain valid residence permit.

Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries who do not hold any of the above documents will be registered in the EES. They can later ask to have their data deleted or amended in the system if they show that they hold any of the above documents.

Find out more EES FAQs here: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/faq#how-does-ees-apply-to-withdrawal-agreement