Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain

Celebrating 135 Years of Belgian Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain! Since 1890, the BLCC has proudly supported businesses from Belgium and Luxembourg in their trade and export journeys to the UK. Our purpose and mission remain as strong today as they were in the late 19th century: empowering and supporting cross-border commerce and partnerships to thrive. While our roots are in the 19th century, our approach is firmly planted in the 21st century. As Charles Darwin once said, "It is not the strongest of a species that survives, it is the one that is the most adaptable to change" and for 135 years we have evolved alongside businesses, embracing innovation and change to remain your trusted partner in international trade. Here are a few words for Michel Vanhoonacker, BLCC Chairman: ‘Every day, our BLCC team is looking for new and innovative ways to help your business thrive in the UK, exactly as our founders wanted. Whilst we embrace wholeheartedly the latest technology including AI, we believe personal interaction and sharing our daily, real live experiences are the core added value characteristics of the Chamber. I am very proud to continue this legacy and pass it on to the next generation.’   Join us in celebrating our legacy and looking forward to a future of continued growth! #Belgium #Luxembourg #UK #Business #InternationalTrade #History

🎉 Happy New Year! 🎉 As we welcome 2025, we’re excited to celebrate a milestone year - our 135th anniversary as the Belgian Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain! 🥳 #BLCC135 #HappyNewYear #Milestone #Anniversary

🎄✨ The BLCC team wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ✨🎄 Our team is taking a well-deserved break for the holidays and will be back in the office on Thursday, 2nd January 2025. A special thank you to Frederick Tubiermont for the wonderful Christmas jingle🎶 #Christmas #NewYear #Office #Belgium #Luxembourg #UK

GIVEAWAY WINNERS... A HUGE congratulations to Pedro Gard Brito and Juan F. Dávila y Verdin, FRSA 🌎 for winning the £150 voucher to Boyds Grill and Wine Bar! Please check your email for the voucher! A big thank you to everyone who took part. Keep your eyes peeled for more giveaways in the new year! 👀 #GiveawayWinners #Congrats #BoydsBarAndGrill #LuckyWinners #Celebrate

Merry Christmas from the BLCC team! We are all dressed up and ready for Christmas! Wishing all our members and friends a joyful and prosperous Christmas! 🎅🎁 #Christmas #Festive #Office #Belgium #Luxembourg #UK

Have you entered yet? Don’t miss your chance to WIN one of two £150 vouchers for an incredible dining experience at Boyds Bar and Grill in London! 🍴✨ Winners will be announced on 19th December - good luck!

A HUGE shoutout to the incredible BLCC team for pulling off an unforgettable Golden Bridge Awards! 🎉 Special thanks to BLCC Chairman, Michel Vanhoonacker for his outstanding leadership and for hosting the ceremony with such charisma! ✨ And a MASSIVE thank you to Isobel Dannatt for orchestrating the event so flawlessly - this event would not have gone so smoothly without her meticulous planning and dedication. You’re the real MVP!! 👏 Special mention to BLCC Director, Philippe Sauvage, our unofficial quality control expert for the bar!😉🍸 #GoldenBridgeAwards #Teamwork #Networking #Award #Belgium #Luxembourg #UK

Behind the scenes at the Golden Bridge Awards 2024!🎥✨ Here's a sneak peek at the preparations for one of the most prestigious nights in the BLCC calendar. From the finishing touches on the stage to the final checks on the guest list, we had to make sure everything was perfect for celebrating excellence in international business. 🌟 #GoldenBridgeAwards #BTS #Business #BehindTheScenes #Video #Sneakpeek

A great opportunity to connect and collaborate over a meal. BLCC Chairmen, Michel Vanhoonacker and BLCC Director, Philippe Sauvage had a delightful catch-up with Motonobu Kasajima, the General Representative of Wallonia-Brussels International in the UK. A fantastic opportunity to strengthen ties and exchange ideas. 🤝 #Networking #Collaboration #Wallonia #Brussels #Belgium #UK

Brexit Update 📰 The EU is setting up its firm-handed approach to dealing with the UK as it sets out to ‘reset’ their relationship. The reset centres around fishing rights and the adherence to the existing EU-UK agreements, such as the Windsor framework. This fresh approach appears positive, however, a ‘19-page working paper setting out EU interests observed there were “limited” economic gains on offer as a result of the UK’s own red lines ruling out rejoining the EU’s single market or customs union, or accepting free movement of people’. These stipulations were the bedrock of the key promises that were made during the Brexit withdrawal process. It is crucial that the Prime Minister is not seen in any way as attempting to reverse Brexit in order to appease many Labour voters after a shaky start to his term with the controversial budget. The EU reiterates its "no cherry-picking" stance and stresses that deeper cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, and security hinges on the UK's full compliance with prior commitments. The main priority will centre around fishing rights as many EU member states demand an extension of the current deal to 2026 as a precondition for broader discussions. The EU will adopt a strict approach when it comes to any future agreements such as the dynamic alignment of UK laws with EU standards in veterinary and carbon pricing deals, and financial contributions to cover associated costs. It is obvious that the EU is keen to strike a stronger cooperative relationship on security and migration policy, however, Brussels is wary of the UK’s restrictive policies on business visas and the youth mobility scheme. The EU rejects a UK proposal for a returns agreement on irregular migration and emphasizes that sectoral access to the single market will not be permitted. Labour came to power promising a reduction in trade barriers and increased economic cooperation with the UK’s largest trading partner, the EU. This strategy seems obvious, however, from the EU’s point of view the UK must honour the existing agreements for progress to be made. Brussels’ cautious approach is sensible with member states set to review their positions later this month. #Brexit #News #Politics #Update #EU #Belgium #UK