Brussels is losing its businesses — urgent action is needed to restore our economic attractiveness

For several years, warning signals have been accumulating: Brussels is losing more and more businesses to its outskirts.

The latest data published by the Brussels Institute of Statistics and Analysis (IBSA) and the Ayming Belgium report (Property Tax Report) leave no room for doubt: the capital is becoming fiscally dissuasive.

In Brussels, businesses must bear:

• an average property tax rate of 55.35%,

• a regional tax on non-residential surfaces of around 25%,

• and multiple additional municipal taxes.

? Result: the cumulative tax pressure exceeds 70% of the cadastral income in nine municipalities, and even reaches 82.45% in Schaerbeek.

No other European capital has such a high level of taxation on business real estate.

? A worrying economic exodus

The figures speak for themselves: in 2023, 3,115 companies left Brussels to settle in Flanders or Wallonia, compared to 2,129 arrivals in the opposite direction.

This represents nearly 1,000 net lost companies in just one year.

Behind these statistics, it is jobs, tax revenues, and a share of Brussels' economic vitality that are disappearing.

Each departure of a company means one more empty office, a local activity that fades away, and a negative signal sent to investors.

?️ A direct call to the Government

Faced with this observation, I have called on Minister Sven Gatz and State Secretary Barbara Trachte to obtain clear answers on several essential points:

• What analysis does the Government draw from this business exodus?

• What concrete measures have been taken to alleviate the tax pressure?

• Why maintain such a high level of taxation when Brussels clearly lacks competitiveness?

• Are reforms of the regional tax or local taxes being considered?

• What consultation with economic actors (Beci, UCM, chambers of commerce) has been conducted?

• And above all: what is the real impact of this loss of companies in terms of jobs and public revenues?

  
  

? For an economic reconquest strategy

I advocate for a thorough revision of the Brussels fiscal framework, taking into account economic reality.

Brussels has exceptional assets: centrality, accessibility, qualified workforce, university and international network.

But without fiscal stability, administrative clarity, and economic attractiveness policy, these strengths may no longer be sufficient.

It is time to build an ambitious regional strategy to retain our businesses and attract new ones.

A capital that discourages investment ends up impoverishing itself — and it is the citizens who pay the price.

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✍️ Geoffroy Coomans de Brachène

Brussels MP (MR)