US ambassador issues entry ban on Belgian opposition leader Conner Rousseau
Belgian foreign minister demands clarification after US travel ban on Rousseau
Belgium and Netherlands sign pact to study Brussels–Eindhoven direct rail link
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Two KLM Boeing 737s collide at Amsterdam Schiphol, ripple delays for Belgian flyers
• Two KLM 737s clipped each other at Amsterdam-Schiphol on 21 February, triggering safety inspections and cascading delays. • Because many Belgian travellers connect via Schiphol, the incident disrupted onward flights to Brussels and regional airports. • The episode underlines the importance for travel managers of contingency routings and awareness of EU 261 entitlements in safety-related delays.
Belgium multiplies nationality fee to €1,000 and tightens family-reunification rules
Effective 20 February 2026, Belgium increased its nationality registration fee from €150 to €1,000 and introduced higher income, age and waiting-time requirements for family-reunification visas. The government says the move covers administrative costs and deters fraud, while employers fear it will raise the hurdle for long-term foreign staff seeking Belgian (and thus EU) citizenship. Wallonia, meanwhile, tweaked language-integration rules to make courses more flexible. The combined measures will materially affect expatriate budgets, HR planning and migrant families’ settlement prospects.
505 Belgian nationals confirmed jailed abroad, Foreign Ministry reveals
A Foreign Ministry report published on 20 February 2026 shows at least 505 Belgians imprisoned overseas, up slightly on last year. Most are held in nearby EU states, but cases span five continents, highlighting duty-of-care obligations for employers and the need for better pre-travel legal briefings. Consular teams have launched new advisory services to mitigate future incidents.
Belgian activist’s arrest in Istanbul spotlights wider detention risks for travelling professionals
A Belgian human-rights lawyer was among six Europeans arrested in Istanbul on 19 February and ordered to leave Turkey. The 20 February report highlights how anti-terror laws can ensnare legitimate professional visits and reinforces calls for stronger duty-of-care and political-risk assessments for staff travelling to high-risk countries.
EU hails progress in Ethiopia readmission deal as Belgium pushes tougher return policy
On 20 February 2026 the EU praised Ethiopia for speeding up paperwork under their readmission pact, a priority for Belgium’s migration minister who wants higher return rates for rejected asylum seekers. Faster documentation should enable Belgium to repatriate more Ethiopians, affecting corporate family-reunification planning and signalling the EU’s tougher stance of tying visas and aid to cooperation on returns.
Brussels hosts EU-Latin America summit to tighten cross-border crime controls
An EU-Latin America justice summit in Brussels on 20 February agreed to expand Joint Investigation Teams, asset-recovery tools and data-sharing to combat organised crime – a move closely watched in Belgium, where the Port of Antwerp is a major smuggling hotspot. The enhanced cooperation may increase cargo checks and affect corporate compliance obligations for firms with trans-Atlantic operations.