Brexit sparks campaign to make English an official language in Brussels

Business leaders in Brussels are campaigning for English to become an official administrative language in the region, in a bid to attract companies from the UK after Brexit.

Jan De Brabanter, secretary general at the Brussels Chamber of Commerce, said the idea had support from local businesses - and that many politicians in the Brussels region "can see the benefit". But he admitted that it would be "very hard" to achieve, as all three regions and the federal government would need to agree.

"We have to change a lot in Brussels," De Brabanter said. "One of the topics we are dealing with right now - on a regional and federal level - is to make it possible that English could become an administrative language.

"That way we could attract UK businesses to the continent. If it would be possible to have people hired and offer them a contract in English it could be a benefit for everyone."

De Brabanter was speaking at a recent event organised by St John's International School in Waterloo on Brexit's impact on Belgium.

Read more here about what Brexit means for British expats in Belgium - including the prospects for EU civil servants and holders of the EU's special ID card.