The UK and Belgium have agreed a practical upgrade to their day‑to‑day economic cooperation. In a joint statement on 12 December 2025, the governments set out plans to reduce trade frictions under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Renewed Agenda agreed on 19 May 2025. The plan puts ports, energy and security under the same umbrella so cross‑border business feels less stop‑start.

For SMEs moving parts, ingredients or finished goods across the North Sea, the headline is straightforward: the two countries will step up customs cooperation, simplify procedures and provide targeted information to businesses. The statement also flags short‑term ‘temporary mobility’ for business and research, easing trips for engineers, technicians and sales teams.

Belgium’s importance to UK trade justifies the attention. ONS data put Belgium eighth among UK partners in 2024 with around £62.9bn in two‑way trade. The UK’s top goods exports to Belgium include medicines, gas, cars and refined products-sectors where clearer paperwork and predictable checks save money fast.

Logistics takes centre stage. Both sides want deeper port‑to‑port collaboration-including trials in autonomous shipping-and stronger security at key hubs such as Zeebrugge, with maritime decarbonisation supported through planned green shipping corridors between the two shores.

Security policy now tracks supply chains more closely. A Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement is due to be signed in 2026, backed by closer work through Europol, Interpol and the Prüm framework. Better data sharing should help disrupt trafficking and illicit finance and reduce knock‑on disruption at terminals when incidents spike.

Economic security is another thread. London and Brussels will deepen dialogue on foreign direct investment screening in strategic sectors and on supply‑chain diversification and critical‑infrastructure protection. For investors in defence, semiconductors, life sciences and energy, diligence on ownership and provenance will matter even more.

Energy ties come with timelines. The 2022 energy memorandum will be updated; talks continue on Nautilus, a proposed UK–Belgium electricity interconnector; and both governments aim to finalise by the first half of 2026 an arrangement under the London Protocol to allow cross‑border CO2 transport for permanent storage. Hydrogen cooperation and exchanges on nuclear also feature-useful markers for long‑cycle investment decisions.

On research and health security, the two countries will expand links across pharma, life sciences, AI, semiconductors and engineering biology. The statement references Horizon Europe and work to shore up medical supply chains, building on the UK’s membership of the EU Critical Medicines Alliance-useful signals for medtech and biotech SMEs planning trials.

Migration policy features from a business‑travel angle too. Expect more security technology and joint operations around the Zeebrugge route, plus upstream disruption of smuggling networks. Both governments reaffirm commitment to the ECHR while signalling updates to handle current challenges, pointing to a steadier, if firmer, border regime for legitimate travellers.

What to do now? Map consignments that pass through Belgian ports; review procedures for short‑term staff visits; and ask customs brokers whether you qualify for simplified processes once new guidance lands. Keep an eye on three dates: LECA signature in 2026; CO2 transport arrangements targeted for H1 2026; and progress on Nautilus. If delivered on time, cross‑Channel operations should feel more predictable.