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

An estimated 3.4 million UK citizens living overseas are disenfranchised and, in 2016, more than 60% of UK citizens living in the EU had no vote in the UK EU referendum that led to the removal of our EU citizenship rights and changed our lives forever.

The British in Europe (BiE) campaigned for five years to protect our EU citizenship rights - and to reinstate lifelong voting rights in the UK. This was successful, and the UK Elections Act 2022 has restored lifelong voting rights for UK citizens living overseas. However, it needs to be implemented and implemented in a way that enables us to be able to use these democratic rights.

BiE has recently secured funding for 12 months from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust to support their campaign to ensure that the secondary implementing legislation is delivered and that it works - so that we can reclaim our voting rights and be registered as voters in time for the next general election. Once that is done, BiE plan a further phase of work to raise awareness across the UK diaspora and encourage registration of these new UK citizen voters overseas.

As part of this campaign, BiE has organised a survey for UK citizens resident overseas. The Voting Rights survey is now ready to collect data and you are encouraged to participate. By taking part, you will help build a picture of the global UK overseas community and their voting rights.

You can find the survey here.

The more respondents that participate, the stronger the arguments that BiE will be able to present to ensure a suitable, practical process is put in place to enable our voices can be heard again in the UK political scene. The survey should take around 10 to 20 minutes to complete.

Who are BiE?

British in Europe (BiE) is the largest coalition group of British Citizens living and working in Europe. With representation across the whole continent, the group actively campaigns for the rights of UK citizens in the EU and EU citizens in the UK.

It was founded in early 2017 to give UK citizens living, working and studying across the EU a voice in the Brexit negotiations and since then has been recognised by the British government and the European Institutions as trusted interlocutors, meeting secretaries of state, ministers in EU Member States and key EU and British officials.

BiE was forced to close its virtual doors in April 2022 through lack of funding. However, the support from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust is enabling it to resume its valuable work.

The next International Study Group talk will take place on the morning of 13 February 2023 at the Chateau Sainte Anne in Auderghem and examines Sustainable Consumerism.

Sustainability is not just a trend. It is a must if we want our children and future generations to inherit a healthy planet on which to live. Every societal actor has a responsibility to bear. In this talk, Bruno Vermoesen will give some insights on how a major manufacturer of consumer goods deals with this issue.

Bruno Vermoesen began as an engineer working for BSH Home Appliances (the people behind brands such as Bosch, Siemens and Neff) in 1995 in the marketing department. For the past 20 years he has been active as a lobbyist in the field of European legislation, focusing on energy efficiency, performance, waste and the circular economy.

Bruno is also the President of Recupel, the Belgian recycling system for waste (electrical and electronic appliances), and a Board Member of the Dutch recycling system Wecycle. In addition, he is now the Sustainability Officer for the BSH sales area of Western Europe.

See you at the Chateau?

The meeting takes place at Château Sainte-Anne. Social distancing and mask wearing is at your discretion, but no longer obligatory.

Date: Monday, 13 February 2023

Welcome: From 10h00 with the programme starting from 10h30

Location: Château Sainte-Anne, Rue Du Vieux Moulin 103, 1160 Bruxelles

Parking: You can park within the grounds of the Château but not in spots marked for members. Parking can also be found in Rue Valduchesse to the left of the Château.

Price: Free for ISG members, €10 for guests

Webpage: http://isgbrussels.be/event/sustainable-solutions-consumerism

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?”

Many thanks to all who helped to make the BBCA Christmas Reception 2022 on the evening of Tuesday 13 December such a roaring success. The sparkling event took place at the British Residence in central Brussels and was hosted by the UK ambassador Martin Shearman.

This was our first Christmas event since 2019 due to the pandemic and it was really great to see so many of our community celebrating together – in fact the event was sold out! We certainly achieved our twin goals of bringing the British Community together and raising money for a very good cause!

During the evening a cash raffle was held with some great prizes, including Pommery Champagne, Belgian Sparkling Wine and a hamper from Stonemanor, amongst many others, with all proceeds to be donated to the Belgian Child Focus charity. In total €1 600 was raised to support the valuable work of this charity.

In addition, the evening saw our annual donations to BBCA associated charities. This year the Community Help Service (CHS) received €2 500 and the Brussels branch of the Royal British Legion received € 500.

More pictures from the event can be viewed here.

On behalf of the BBCA team of volunteers I wish you all a very fine festive season and hope to see you all again in the New Year. Keep an eye on our website as we will be organising more community events during 2023.

The International Study Group (ISG) presents its next talk on 16 January 2023 with Lailuma Sadid speaking on the subject of Afghanistan:  Women’s Rights and the Taliban.

Lailuma Sadid, originally from Afghanistan, graduated in 2002 from the University of Journalism in Kabul. She has also obtained a master’s degree in Political Science from ULB. She is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years of experience, six years in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Afghanistan, and also as a diplomat in Belgium. She is a women's rights activist and defender in Afghanistan and abroad. She is an assistant of formation at ULB and president of NADOE - the Network of Afghan Diaspora Organizations in Europe. Lailuma is also a facilitator for UNHCR in Belgium and a board member of Refugee Committees, Women Refugee Committees, and Secretary General for the Afghan refugee committee organization within UNHCR.

Doors open for the talk on 16 January from 10h00 and the programme commencing at 10h30. The venue is Château Sainte-Anne, Rue Du Vieux Moulin 103, 1160 Bruxelles with parking available within the grounds of the Château and also in the Rue Val duchesse to the left of the Château. The talk is free for ISG members and €10 for guests.

About ISG

The ISG’s provides a series of monthly talks in English on subjects which are intended to be thought provoking and informative covering subjects ranging from the sciences, art, history, geo-politics and even space.  The group usually meets at the Chateau Sainte Anne in Auderghem on the 2^nd Monday of the month. ISG members come from some 25 countries and nearly all continents.

More information on the ISG website.

The British Chamber of Commerce | EU & Belgium, in collaboration with the British School of Brussels and Waterloo Uncovered is holding a networking reception and walking dinner on Monday 21 November 2022 from 6pm at the Mont St. Jean Farm in Waterloo.

The event will welcome members of the Chamber, business representatives, and stakeholders of the British and Belgian community interested in culture, history, and research. The event is being organised in a significant location – near the Lion's Mound and the battlefield of Waterloo – to celebrate the historical and cultural ties between Belgium and the United Kingdom.

The cost for the evening is €55 for members of the British Chamber and €95 for non-members. An optional guided tour of the Brewery, the Distillery and an Immersive show at Mont St. Jean will also be possible at 5pm at an additional cost of €15.

To reserve your place(s) either RSVP by email to events.officer@britcham.eu or register via the event page on the BritCham website before 15 November 2022.

The Mont St. Jean Farm is located at Chaussée de Charleroi 591, 1410 Waterloo.

The BBCA Council was shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of past BBCA President Stuart ‘Stu’ Dowsett over the weekend and we send our love, thoughts and prayers to the Dowsett family and his many friends.

Stu Dowsett was a lovely, loving and selfless man who gave much to the BBCA and the wider community over many years. His company Eurocity has been a long-term patron of our association.

Stu joined the BBCA Council in 2003, became Vice President in 2005 and was President of the BBCA from 2006 to 2010. Stu remained a valued member of the Council committee until he retired in 2018.

Stu was also a formidable rugby player in his youth having played for Saracens in the late 70s (Stu is pictured above with son Craig - now a player coach with Saracens)  and he was President of Brussels Barbarians Rugby Club, based at BSB, for many years. He was well known and much liked and respected by many in the expat community over a long period and will be sorely missed.

Stu passed away on Friday morning. He had been diagnosed with cancer at the end of the summer and was undergoing treatment, but his passing was unexpected.

A man loved and cared for by so many, who loved and cared for so many. We will miss him. Stuart Dowsett RIP.

On 26 November, the Brussels Choral Society will join forces with Arti Vocali from Antwerp and with the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Eric Delson, to perform Mendelssohn’s ELIAS/ELIJAH in the Henry Le Boeuf Hall at the BOZAR, Rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 BRUSSELS.

Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio about the prophet Elias has been a favourite of choirs and audiences ever since the composer himself conducted the premiere (in English) at the Birmingham Festival in 1846.

The oratorio is the vivid portrayal of Elias, who opens the piece with a curse bringing a drought upon the faithless Israelites. He urges them to renounce the idol worship of the god Baal, promoted by King Ahab, and to return to the Lord. Despair, cruelty, relief and mercy all play their part in the story until the turmoil is finally resolved.

The performance starts at 20h00 and you can find out more on ticket pricing here. Discounts are available if you sign up to become a ‘Friend of BCS’. There will also be a performance on 18 December at deSingel in Antwerp.

About BCS

The Brussels Choral Society (BCS) is an amazing 100-strong symphony choir counting more than 20 nationalities amongst its members and represents the best of international cooperation on a musical level.

Originally established by Brits in Brussels, there is still a strong backbone of British choral tradition in the choir and the society maintains links with London choirs and orchestras, the Albert Hall, and Ely and Guildford Cathedrals.

Calling all book lovers! From Tuesday 8 November to Sunday 13 November 2022 the Belgian Red Cross will be holding its annual grand second-hand book sale in Brussels. In addition, there are stocks of games, vinyl, CDs, and DVDs – all at democratic prices.

Francophones and Flemish speakers in the city are well aware of this annual Book Fest – the event raises tens of thousands of Euros for the Red Cross every year – but we are informed that there is also a “huge supply of books in English” and most of them will be available as bargains.

So go grab your winter reading by heading down to Rue de Stalle 96, 1180 Uccle between 10am and 6pm during the sale period and pick up those bargain books.

Entry is free, parking is available and access via public transport is easy via STIB Lines 4, 97, 43, 98 or 51 – alight at stops Wagon or Globe.

Spread the work to friends, family and colleagues and help support the fantastic and vital work of the Red Cross in Belgium.

You can find out more about the work of the Red Cross in Belgium on their website and Facebook page. 

Our friends at the Expat Welcome Desk at the Commissioner.Brussels office are pleased to invite you to a webinar (in English) on family law in Belgium on Thursday 20 October starting at 12 noon.

As an expatriate living in Belgium, you may face different situations or issues throughout your life that may have an impact on your assets and those of your family. For example, entering into a legal relationship with a partner has certain consequences. It is sometimes useful to know how to protect yourself as a spouse, or to protect your children in the event of different life events (marriage, divorce, death etc.).

This webinar will be given by Notary Lisbeth Michielsens and Notary Frederic Helsen. They will cover, amongst others, the following points:

• Ways of living together: legal cohabitation and marriage
• What happens if you do not arrange anything?
• Things you can arrange: marriage contract, advance directive, donation, will
• What to do in case of death?
• Q&A

The webinar will be moderated by Elsemiek Apers (Fednot) and Amélie BOVY, Senior legal advisor at the Expat Welcome Desk.

How to register?

Prior registration is mandatory by sending an email to inscription@commissioner.brussels before 5:00pm on Tuesday 18 October. Practical information concerning the link to access the meeting will be sent via e-mail to participants one day before the webinar. Remember to check your spam box !