Chairman’s Letter

I am on my way back from the 150th Anniversary celebrations of the Belgian Chamber Federation in Brussels, whilst writing these lines. We had the honour of Princess Astrid attending and the opportunity to highlight the role of our Bilateral Chambers to over 300 guests. I was supported by Marie Callens, Founder and CEO of Floorify, who was most gracious in explaining to the public how our Chamber has helped to accelerate her business expansion in the UK. A great motivation to keep doing what we have done ourselves for over 135 years: helping your business thrive in the UK. 

Member Portal

One of the many building blocks to keep fulfilling this ambition is the introduction of our new Member Portal, to which you now have direct access. Here, you can find all the information regarding your membership, including your (UK) company details, contact information, email, and more. All in one place with the possibility to flag any changes in your organisation, if and when. If you have not signed up yet, please do so and make your life easier. In the coming months, you will also see major changes to our website, making the whole experience easier to navigate and more informative and practical. 

Golden Bridge Trade & Investment Awards

I would also like to appeal to Members to compete in the 25th Golden Bridge Awards. We have so many successful companies amongst our members, and with 7 different categories, you will no doubt find one which fits your success story. Do not dither as the deadline to submit your candidature is 16th November. It will be there before you know it. This very special anniversary edition will take place in our prestigious Ball Room at the BLCC Club House on Thursday, 5th February and will be spectacular. Learn how to apply.

Scotland

As you may have already seen on social media, Issy Dannatt, our office & events manager, is now based in Edinburgh, which has already proven to be a good move. We will keep you posted on exploring more business and network possibilities in Scotland as she is settling in her new home and workplace.

UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement

Negotiations on the UK-EU SPS Agreement are anticipated to commence this autumn, pending the EU’s mandate. The aim is to conclude discussions and have legislative arrangements in place by 2027, subject to progress. Until the SPS Agreement is implemented, BTOM compliance remains mandatory, including attendance at SPS facilities for inspection when required. 

Filing accounts in the UK

From 1 April 2027, all companies will need to file their annual accounts using commercial software as part of a broader reform package under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. This means that companies can no longer use web and paper-based systems for account filings on that date. Whether you file accounts yourself or through an accountant or agent, you will need to use software from that point onwards, in 21 months. If you work with us and/or Try Lunn, you do not need to take any action, and if any changes are necessary, we will be in touch with you. 

Other changes include:

• submitting profit and loss accounts, rather than just a balance sheet, for small and micro-entity companies
• updates to audit exemptions and accounting reference periods.

We will share more information about these in the coming months

Looking forward to receiving your Golden Bridge applications soon!

Michel Vanhoonacker