Charles Delogne (Belgian Embassy): Belgium and Luxembourg, a century of partnership

Can you describe the economic and cultural relationships between Belgium and Luxembourg?

My first day in Luxembourg was fifty years ago, as a child accompanying my parents to discover the lake around the dam on the Sûre river. That personal connection colors the way I experience this posting. Many of my predecessors shared a similar familiarity, and I think that reflects something real about the bond between our two countries. On the operational side, around 80% of my staff handles consular affairs. A community of some 25,000 Belgians lives here, and they require a full range of consular services. Beyond that, bilateral cooperation runs across many sectors, though ministries often work directly with their counterparts, which is perfectly normal for a small embassy. What strikes me most is the depth of the historic foundation. After the referendum of 1919, and following two years of uncertainty, the Belgo-Luxembourgish economic and commercial union was forged in 1921. That agreement established a single customs territory, abolished internal borders, and introduced a single currency. It was, in every meaningful sense, the precursor of the European Union. Visionaries built that framework. Benelux then became the second major step, functioning as a laboratory for cooperation that the rest of Europe would eventually follow.

This economic and commercial union was decided by real visionaries.

CHARLES DELOGNE, BELGIAN EMBASSY

Do you see opportunities for Belgium and Luxembourg to work together on energy and artificial intelligence?

Luxembourg imports 79% of its electricity, mainly from Germany and partly from Belgium, which makes energy a genuinely strategic question. Belgium has plans to rehabilitate part of its nuclear sector, though not to make nuclear dominant. The goal is an energy mix combining some nuclear capacity with green sources. The offshore wind farms in the North Sea already offer interesting opportunities, not only for Belgium but for neighboring countries as well. Most European nations are already interconnected for electricity, with flows moving in both directions depending on conditions. That solidarity exists, but energy prices remain uneven across borders, and that remains a real problem. Belgium and Luxembourg are also working on extending connections for gas, CO2 transport, and hydrogen. On artificial intelligence, the appetite from major global players to establish data centers in Europe is enormous. Belgium has already attracted significant investment near Namur. A coordinated offer from Belgium and Luxembourg together, addressing electricity supply, chips, security, and resilience in a single regional package, could be genuinely compelling. That is something both governments and the wider business community need to examine seriously.

Do you see possibilities for Belgium and Luxembourg to cooperate on startups and the real economy?

Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg share a defining characteristic: three small countries with no natural resources and no natural borders, obliged to import, transform, and export with maximum added value. That constraint makes innovation vital, not optional. When you look at global rankings, the Benelux countries consistently perform well on innovation precisely because they have no alternative. Both governments must ensure the right conditions and incentives exist to help startups grow into successful companies. Having been posted in Luxembourg for nearly two years, I see how well organized the ecosystem here is to encourage new ventures and accompany them toward success. Not every startup makes it, of course, but the success stories are what matter. With France and Germany showing a growing tendency to turn inward, the incentive for Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg to act collectively has never been stronger.