Latest news in Belgium? September 17th, 2026

Asylum and Migration Policy Debates Prime Minister Bart De Wever clarified Belgium’s stance regarding planned EU “return hubs” located in non-EU third countries. The federal government agreed to support and participate in the EU return hub mechanism for rejected asylum seekers while explicitly ruling out sending minors to these external transfer facilities following concerns raised by coalition partners.

Anadolu Ajansı+ 1

Legal and Corporate Framework Updates Legal and compliance discussions center on the newly revised provisions of the Belgian Criminal Code reshaping rules around corporate attempt and participation. The changes widen corporate exposure and liability regarding financial and economic offenses.

Freshfields

Commercial Real Estate Listed property investor Wereldhave Belgium confirmed a private agreement to sell the De Mael retail park in Sint-Kruis, Bruges, to an investor consortium for €49.2 million. The divestment aligns with the group’s strategy to refocus capital on dominant mid-sized shopping centres across Belgium and Luxembourg.

GlobeNewswire+ 1

Gaming and Regulatory Monitoring The Belgian Gaming Commission’s latest sector metrics indicate continuing declines in land-based gambling venues and café terminals, driven in part by expanded checks under the EPIS (Excluded Persons Information System) exclusion register. Trade body BAGO raised warnings regarding channelization risks as regulatory tightening impacts registered player activity.

sbcnews.co.uk