Brussels woos London-based business a week before Brexit vote

The Brexit vote in London isn’t quite in the bag yet, but Brussels isn’t waiting to launch its campaign to get multi-national businesses and organisations to set up shop in the capital of Europe. The campaign ‘The future is close. Brussels is yours’ includes a website and three seminars in London to inform decision-makers about the benefits of moving headquarters or opening a branch in Belgium.

“We are targeting three specific sectors for which Brussels offers much potential: Banking and insurance, pharmaceuticals and audio-visual,” Cécile Jodogne, Brussels secretary for foreign trade, told Bruzz. “We chose these sectors because they are already highly developed in Brussels. We want to show what Brussels has to offer, including its geographical location and multi-cultural society.”

The seminars in London are split up by sectors and led by Belgian experts in each sector. They talk about the benefits of being based in Brussels, how the sector operates here and how to take the first steps to set up an address.

The first seminar, on finance, already took place yesterday. Representatives from the National Bank and the Financial Services and Markets Authority led the seminar.

The campaign, which has received funding of €400,000 will run until April, when it will close with a large-scale reception. “And then we’ll invite anyone who has shown interest to take a trip to Brussels,” said Jodogne.