Daily necessities in Brussels
Banking
Belgium is considered to have more than enough number of banks to service its population. There are ATMs every everywhere. Some even call them a pioneer of the 'cashless.' society since all transactions can be done online or with credit cards.
The official currency in Belgium is the Euro. Bank operating hours are from 9am to 4pm.
To open a bank account, you will need to bring your passport or other forms of identification to the bank. A current account is known as complete à vue or zichtrekening.
It is possible to pre-open your account and receive your code numbers to manage your account before arriving in Belgium. It includes receiving your bank and credit cards.
You can also open a savings account and there are a variety of savings plans to choose from.
Make sure you have a full understanding of the different savings plans before you commit to one.
Driving
You can drive in Belgium on a valid international driving licence or your home country licence for a year, but you will need to apply for a Belgian driver's licence if you are planning to drive for a longer period. If you are an EU citizen, you do not need to convert your driver's licence.
It seldom needed to own a car in Brussels as the public transport system is excellent and very accessible. The city has a well-organized network of trains, subways, trams, buses and taxis. Moreover, traffic is congested during peak hour and parking is always a problem. Best to stick to public transport!
Value Added Tax (VAT) / Goods and Services Tax (GST)
The standard VAT rate is 21%. A reduced VAT rate of 12% applies to supplies of goods and services such as phytopharmaceutical products, margarine, (inner) tubes, pay television and social housing.
A further reduced VAT rate of 6% applies to supplies of goods and services. This include necessities such as (food and pharmaceuticals), newspapers, publications and books, artworks, antiques and collector’s items, cars for physically challenged people, public transport, copyrights, concerts and exhibitions, hotels and camping, some medical equipment and some housing.
International Bank
Local Banks