A total of 859 Britons adopted Belgian nationality in 2021

Since the beginning of the year, 859 UK nationals have obtained Belgian nationality, according to interior ministry figures (until 4 December). The number is already higher than in 2020, despite the year not yet coming to an end.

The number of Britons applying for naturalisation rose considerably across the EU after the Brexit referendum in 2016. Before the vote to leave the EU, there were never more than 150 Britons a year obtaining Belgian nationality. For example, there were 114 applications in 2015, 78 in 2012.

Since the referendum, the figures have shot up: 454 Britons became Belgian in 2016, 1,230 in 2017 and almost 1,500 in 2019. The figures then declined to 831 in 2020.

When the UK finally left the EU at the end of 2020, the withdrawal agreement guaranteed the rights of those UK nationals living in Belgium on condition they apply for an M card by 31 December 2021. With the deadline fast approaching, thousands are estimated to have not yet regularised their residency.

Post-Brexit trade

The UK’s departure from the EU sparked fears by Belgian companies trading with the nation. Despite a drop in trade figures, one year on, the trepidation has abated for the moment. "We seem to have avoided the worst-case scenario," said the Federation of Belgian Enterprises (FEB) in a press release on Thursday. It recognised, though, that the future remains uncertain with a new set of measures coming into force from January.

During the first nine months of 2021, Belgian exports to the UK fell by 5% compared to the same period in 2020. The UK moved from fourth to fifth place in the list of the most popular export countries for Belgian goods.

While a trade and cooperation agreement between the UK and EU provided zero tariffs and quotas for products complying with rules of origin, new regulations and procedures introduced from 1 January impacted customs formalities and controls, pointed out the FEB.

"Federations in certain sectors do not feel that the future will be very bright. They are concerned about regulatory differences, such as rules for the chemical industry (REACH regulation), patent regulations, the marking indicating that the products comply with European standards for health, environment and safety (so-called UKCA marking instead of CE) and VAT legislation."

With new rules leading in some cases to double certification procedures, the FEB calls on the Belgian and European authorities to look carefully at the regulations to ensure fair competition. “They can distort the rules of the game and give British players a competitive advantage.”

From 1 January, the UK introduces a new set of controls for exports to the country with full customs declarations required for all goods. For sanitary and phytosanitary products, a pre-notification will be compulsory. From 1 July, a Safety and Security Declaration will be required for goods entering the UK.

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