Brussels losing businesses to Flanders

A third more businesses moved from Brussels to Flanders last year than the other way around, according to new figures from Belgian statistics agency Statbel. 

In 2025, 1,687 Brussels-based businesses moved to the Flemish region and 1,263 Flemish businesses made the reverse move, meaning the capital lost 424 businesses to Flanders.

Brussels also recorded a net outflow in its exchanges with Wallonia: 1,139 departing businesses compared with 804 arriving businesses. 

Business moves between Flanders and Wallonia remained more limited, with 676 Flemish businesses moving to Wallonia and 499 businesses moving in the opposite direction.

Last year was a rough one for business in Belgium in other ways, as well. While a total of 119,189 businesses were established (up 5.2%), 10.9% of existing businesses (104,869) ceased trading. 

Of the 100,143 businesses established in 2024, only 88.6% (88,719) were still active at the end of 2025.

The decline is more pronounced in Brussels than in the other two regions.

At the end of 2025, Belgium had more than 1.2 million VAT-registered businesses, or 1.2% more than a year earlier.