Following in the footsteps of Washington for the United States, Brussels has established itself as Europe’s Power City. 

Hundreds of offices of multinational corporations and international associations are in Brussels. Because of this, Brussels is now an international capital in terms of lobbying, conferences, the international press and the diplomatic world.

According to the Federation of European and International Associations established in Belgium
(FAIB), some 1,800 International Associations have their head offices in Brussels. They generate
around 25,000 direct jobs (including voluntary positions) and 10,300 indirect jobs.
As well as the huge number of international meetings and conferences that they organise here,
international associations use property, financial, legal, fiscal, communication, lobbying and security
services. Directly and indirectly, they generate 1.5 billion Euros a year, mainly for the Brussels Capital
region (RBC).
Brussels has seen a rise in the number of international head offices over recent years. This has gone
hand in hand with the growth of the international association sector connected to globalisation, as
demonstrated by the results of the FAIB’s recent survey of association leaders (see appendix).
According to the Union of International Associations (UIA), Brussels has been Europe’s number one
and the world’s number two conference destination for associations since 2009. Hundreds of
international conferences for associations take place in Brussels every year (see appendix).
The main beneficiaries in terms of jobs are tourism and the events industry: from hotels, venues and
planners to translators, interpreters, taxis, caterers, decorators, stand manufacturers and florists.
According to Actiris, more than 35,000 jobs are linked to the tourism industry, which generates 4
billion Euros, including direct and indirect income, every year.