The Expat Welcome Desk (EWD) of commissioner.brussels is organising a series of 10 free webinars for UK citizens taking place throughout 2023. Whether you already live and work in Brussels, or you are planning a move to Europe’s capital, these informative sessions will help you navigate the post-Brexit landscape.

The webinars are part of a project funded by the EU’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve, which also includes the development of a newsletter for UK citizens in Belgium and a specific Brexit element on the EWD website.

M-Card – What next?

The first of the webinars takes place on Tuesday 24 January 2023 from 12h00 to 13h30 and will cover what rights the M-card – the residence card issued to UK citizens already resident in Belgium before the end of the Brexit transition – conveys on the holder and what it does not.

The webinar will clarify the exact status of UK citizens and highlight some important limitations compared to the pre-Brexit situation. The presentation will be followed by a Q+A session.

Issues to be addressed include:

• Residence rights, extended absence and return to Belgium
• Access to the Belgian labour market
• Family reunification
• Eligibility for permanent residence and Belgian citizenship
• Travel inside and outside the EU (Schengen Area), including business trips
• Short-term postings and moving to another EU country

The webinar will be chaired by Amélie Bovy of commissioner.brussels and the speakers will be Jo Antoons, Wout Van Doren and Andreia Ghimis of Fragomen Brussels

To register send an email to inscription@commissioner.brussels and a link to access the webinar will be sent in advance. By registering, you will also be added to be added to the mailing list for the new UK Citizens in Brussels newsletter (see below).

Moving to Belgium post-Brexit

The second webinar of the series will be on Thursday 16 February 2023 from 12h00 to 13h30 and will cover the rules that now apply to UK citizens who move to Belgium and are therefore subject to the regulations applicable to non-EU nationals.

This webinar will give an overview of the immigration options for UK citizens after Brexit and will present possible routes to residence and work rights for various categories of UK citizens, such as business travellers, employees, self-employed persons, frontier workers, and trainees. It will also explore the rights these residents hold after acquiring the right to live in Belgium, so the session will also interest UK citizens already living here who arrived after Brexit.

Issues addressed to be addressed include:

• The right to live and work in Belgium for UK citizens after Brexit
• Extended absence and return
• Family reunification
• Social security coverage
• Travel inside and outside the EU (Schengen Area)
• Conducting business and work trips to other EU countries

The webinar will again be chaired by Amélie Bovy from commissioner.brussels and the speakers will be from Fragomen Brussels

UK Citizens in Brussels newsletter

Alongside these webinars, commissioner.brussels is also launching a monthly newsletter for 2023. This new mailing will explore in detail some of the most complex aspects of post-Brexit life for UK citizens living in Belgium or planning to move here. Each edition will focus on a specific case study, starting from one tricky question and then exploring the detail that UK citizens should be aware of.

The first edition will answer the question: “My children are UK citizens living in Belgium with an M-Card. Can they go study in the UK then return to Belgium?”

The second edition will answer the question: “I live and work in Belgium on a Single Permit. What does this allow me to do? Can I change job? Can I bring family members over?”