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Belgium

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Belgium

- Kingdom of Belgium
- Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch
- 3 distinct autonomous regions --- Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels Capital
- Each of the 3 has its own legislative body and extensive powers
- Divided into 2 administrative communities--- 3 official languages: Dutch, French and German
- Majority of the population can speak English as a second or third language
- Roman Catholic
- 1 CAD=0.747994 EUR
- Capital: Brussels
- Mild winters : Temperate Cool summers : cloudy, rainy, humid
- Border countries : France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Making Appointments

-Telephone/write at least a week in advance
-Belgian company will set the time of appointment
-Aim to arrive punctually
-Public transportation is first class, however the roads are very busy around the Capital, Brussels, therefore, if travelling by car, plan time wisely.
-First appointments are mostly socially orientated, Belgians like to get to know someone before proceeding with business
- Appointment at 11:30 a.m. = a luncheon appointment
-No breakfast meetings, prefer times are mid-morning and mid-afternoon
-Office hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. with 30-60 minutes for lunch.
-Business don’t close early on Fridays
- Shops hours: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. from Mon. to Sat. (some close for lunch)
-Banks: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. Mon. to Fri
-Belgians take a one-month vacation (July-August)
-Celebrates traditional European (Catholic) holidays along with 21 July, their Independence Day and 11 November, their Armistice Day. Each linguistic community also has its own holidays.

Business Dress Code
- Behave formally, expect formality in others, and dress conservatively.
- Belgians have a highly developed dress-sense, therefor they will immediately evaluate your level of professional achievement, your taste in clothing and the quality of your clothing
- Suitable dress code for the first meeting-- Men: Dark woollen suits, white cotton shirts, silk ties, and highly polished leather shoes. Women: simple but elegant suits or dresses enhanced by appropriate jewellery or other accessory.
- Some Belgian entrepreneurs might wear linen suits, well-tailored blazers, non-white shirts, colorful ties and even loafers
- Some prefer to dress more comfortably with a jacket, and tie, top button discreetly undone rather than a suit.
- Their concept of smart casual isn’t t-shirts, jeans, shorts and sneakers.
- When invited to someone’s home, you are not expected to dress formally. Men could wear: sports jacket or blazer with a shirt and tie and flannels or smart chinos. Women could wear: a blouse and trousers.
- If invited to an event requiring formal dress, this would mean full evening wear ex. Black tie and dinner jacket.
- Rains a lot in Belgium, therefore it’s wise to always carry a rain coat or an umbrella even on days that start out clear.

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