Brussels, October 22 – Nearly 3,000 companies have transferred their headquarters from Brussels to Flanders and Wallonia. Beci calls on the Brussels government to take action on local taxation and advocates for a moratorium on new taxes, as well as a reduction in those that weigh excessively on businesses.
The latest figures from Statbel show that 1,687 companies transferred their headquarters from Brussels to Flanders in 2025, and 1,139 to Wallonia. Should we conclude that Brussels is no longer attractive to businesses? Beci suggests a more nuanced view. The capital remains a fertile ground for entrepreneurship, thanks in particular to its universities, students, start-ups, and access to talent. As in other capital cities, many companies are created there before seeking larger and less expensive spaces in the suburbs as they grow. This is a natural trend, which does not necessarily mean they are turning their backs on Brussels.
However, this mobility must not mask a very real problem: local tax pressure. "Companies cannot be the adjustment variable for municipal budgets. When taxes accumulate, Brussels risks discouraging precisely those that drive its economy," says Thierry Geerts, CEO of Beci.
For Beci, a moratorium on new taxes is necessary, but it will not be enough. Certain taxes must also be revised downwards. A tax gap of up to 30% compared to the periphery can be justified by the advantages linked to the capital. Beyond that, the burden becomes excessive and risks weighing on Brussels' economic attractiveness. Beci therefore calls for consultations with the municipalities to harmonize local taxation and bring gaps back down to an acceptable level.
Beci also welcomes regional measures in favor of economic development, notably economic development zones and the reduction of the professional withholding tax. From now on, these efforts must be accompanied by action on local taxation, without relaxing the focus on security and cleanliness.
Finally, Brussels also attracts international companies as the European capital, a flow that statistics on interregional transfers do not measure. For Beci, the objective is to allow companies to grow in Brussels without taxation pushing them to set up elsewhere.