Why Germany is so important to Belgium

Our most populous neighbouring country is a crucial political, cultural and economic partner for Belgium. But we also have a great deal to offer Germany. Just think about the green and digital transition. A state visit (5-7 December 2023) highlighted some deep-rooted historical and trade relations.

Belgium and Germany have some very old historical ties. After all, as a transitional area between the Germanic and Romance cultures, the Belgian region has always been closely involved with its neighbour to the east. In the 19^th century, intense exchanges were taking place between the two highly industrialised countries.
 

Of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

On top of that, our royal family – "of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha" – has its roots in Germany. During the banquet offered by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, King Philippe could therefore justifiably say: "The ties woven between our countries are everlasting. My ancestors participated very closely in the rise of your nation. Moreover, the German language and the common border unite our destinations."

Of course, both World Wars were dark pages in our relations, but they were turned a long time ago. During his speech, King Philippe said he "looked up with admiration to Germany's efforts to turn its sometimes difficult past into an ever stronger present."

In fact, in March 1951, Belgium was the first country, along with Denmark, to establish diplomatic relations with the then young Federal Republic of Germany. During the state visit, the King laid a wreath of flowers at the Neue Wache (Berlin) in tribute to all victims of war and tyranny.

Multilateralism

Today, both Belgium and Germany are stalwarts of multilateralism. Our eastern neighbour is a crucial ally within the EU, UN and NATO. We convey the same values – rule of law, democracy, human rights, etc. – on the rapidly changing world stage and, as founding members, believe more than ever in a strong EU. Something that received extra attention on the eve of the Belgian EU presidency.

As a political heavyweight, Germany – along with France – not only ensures stability within the EU, the country is also an important member of the G7 and the G20.
 

Strengthening cultural and political ties

Belgium maintains its contacts with Germany through the annual informal meeting of German-speaking heads of state that took place in Belgium in September this year. Still, a state visit was more than welcome to highlight and further strengthen the close cultural, economic and political ties between the two countries. The timing was particularly opportune, as it happens, because the transition to a climate-neutral energy supply is at a key moment.

During the state visit, the royal couple met German head of state, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and his wife Elke Büdenbender, as well as Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib liaised with her German counterparts Annalena Baerbock (Foreign Affairs) and Anna Lührmann (European Affairs).

Relations between Belgium and Germany are also deeply intertwined culturally. In Dresden, the royal couple visited the renowned Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, which next year, along with the museums of Antwerp, is planning a research and restoration project for its collection of Rubens paintings. A joint recital by Belgian soprano Sophie Junker and German baritone Samuel Hasselhorn – 2018's winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition – was another cultural highlight during the state visit.

The world's fourth largest economy

The state visit also had an extremely important economic component. Did you know that Germany is the world's fourth largest economy after the US, China and Japan? According to International Monetary Fund projections for 2023, it is even on course to become the third.

Our most populous neighbour – 82 million inhabitants, 11.7 times the size of Belgium – was our largest customer (ahead of the Netherlands and France) and our second-largest supplier (after the Netherlands) in 2022. German tourists are also welcome guests with us. With over one million overnight stays per year, they are the most important group of foreign tourists bar one. Clearly, we have every interest in a well-functioning German economy.

But Germany also has an interest in establishing solid trade relations with Belgium. In fact, in 2022, Belgium was the third leading supplier of goods to the Germans. German companies may be creating 85,000 jobs with us, but Belgian companies are not doing badly either. They provide 39,000 jobs in our neighbouring country. By participating in a High-Level Economic Forum, our royal couple further highlighted the close economic relations between the two countries.

Crucial energy connections

The urgency of a green energy transition – brought to a head by the loss of Russian gas due to the war in Ukraine – means the two countries can do even more for each other and are remarkably complementary. For example, Belgium is continuing to expand its capacity to transport gas to Germany and the foundations are being laid for closer collaboration around wind energy and hydrogen.

Not surprisingly, then, the energy transition was assigned an important place during the state visit. For example, a working lunch for both heads of state with top energy sector CEOs explored how Belgium and Germany can better collaborate to achieve energy security and the transition to sustainable energy supplies. This took place during a visit to the headquarters of high-voltage grid operator 50Hertz, a subsidiary of Belgium's Elia. 50Hertz manages high-voltage lines in an area corresponding with the former East Germany, with a population of 18 million.

The company will invest heavily in connecting new wind farms in the Baltic Sea to its onshore electricity grid, among other things. As part of this, the King and Queen toured a brand-new power cable tunnel that runs right under central Berlin. In addition, Elia is focusing on cross-border high-voltage connections between Belgium and Germany. The first – called ALEGrO, roughly located between Liège and Aachen – has been operational for two years, while a second one is in preparation.

For its part, Belgian gas grid operator Fluxys took advantage of the state visit to announce some collaboration agreements on CO₂ and hydrogen. One of them seeks to connect the hydrogen grids between the two countries as early as 2028, which is vital for big business.

Fluxys played a crucial role in dealing with the shortage of natural gas in Germany following the war in Ukraine. Over half of the liquefied natural gas transshipped at Fluxys' terminal at the port of Zeebrugge flowed to Germany. Fluxys has meanwhile doubled the capacity of the gas transit pipeline between Zeebrugge and the border with Germany. The pipelines are also suitable for transporting hydrogen.
 

Semiconductors

Both the green and digital transitions require advanced microelectronics. Germany is therefore making some serious efforts to attract microchip companies. The Land of Saxony is one of the leading microelectronics clusters in Europe. In Dresden, the royal couple visited X-FAB, which is collaborating with imec (Leuven) on design and production of semiconductors. In that area, the two countries can do a lot for each other as well.

Raphaël Liégeois

In terms of space, Belgium and Germany are also allies. Belgium has built up a solid academic and professional reputation around space research in recent decades. Hence, a visit to the German Aerospace Centre was also on the programme.

There, our monarchs were introduced to the societal benefits that space research and the space sector can bring. These include protecting our planet and the environment, the improvement of everyday utensils, weather forecasting and global communications.

Belgian and German academics, economic players and students gathered there to share expertise and enthuse young people about a career in space. Our royal couple also met some German astronauts there in the presence of Raphaël Liégeois, our third Belgian astronaut.
 

Labour market integration

Our King and Queen also visited a fine example of successful labour market integration. After all, Berlin's S27 arts laboratory proves how a wide range of interdisciplinary arts and vocational training provides young people from diverse backgrounds – including refugees – with tools to find their place in society.

In the wake of our royal couple followed an extended delegation of Belgian CEOs and rectors of Belgian universities, who were able to make all the useful contacts.