Horeca: seasonal workers without support and terraces without permits

An emblematic sector for Brussels

The horeca sector (hotels, restaurants, cafes) is one of the most visible parts of the Brussels economy. With approximately 9,000 establishments and 35,000 direct jobs, it constitutes a major economic pillar of the Brussels-Capital Region. The sector is also intimately linked to the city's cultural identity, its tourist appeal and the vitality of its neighbourhoods.

The Brussels horeca sector depends on several regional mechanisms: seasonal employment subsidies, urban planning and terrace permits, the tourism policy led by Visit.brussels, and sectoral premiums managed by Actiris and hub.brussels.

Since 9 June 2024, the caretaker regional government can no longer take new decisions in these areas.

Subsidies for seasonal workers: a critical shortfall

The mechanism

Brussels horeca is characterised by strong seasonality. The summer months, festive periods and major events (European summits, international conferences) generate peaks in activity that require hiring seasonal workers. The Brussels-Capital Region had developed specific support schemes for these temporary hires.

What is blocked

Under a caretaker government, no new seasonal employment support scheme can be launched. Existing budgets are frozen at pre-June 2024 levels. In practice:

• No new subsidies for hiring seasonal workers in 2025 and 2026
• No adjustment of amounts for inflation and rising labour costs
• No targeted programmes for hard-to-employ jobseekers in the horeca sector
• No specific support for the sector's digital transition

According to Federation Horeca Brussels, this situation forces many establishments to limit their seasonal hiring or offer less favourable contracts to workers.

Source: Federation Horeca Brussels, communication on seasonal employment, 2025.

Terrace permits: urban policy on hold

The stakes

Terraces are an essential element of the business model of many Brussels cafes and restaurants. They are also an issue of urban planning, public space sharing and quality of life in neighbourhoods.

The granting of terrace permits and approval of extensions fall under political decisions that cannot be taken under a caretaker government, except for matters of day-to-day management.

The consequences

• No new terrace permits for recently opened establishments
• No extension of existing terraces into new spaces
• No regularisation of provisional arrangements inherited from the COVID period
• No adaptation of regulations to new urban realities (pedestrianisation, cycle lanes)

Operators wishing to install or enlarge a terrace must wait for a fully empowered government to be formed.

Source: Brulocalis, note on urban planning permits under a caretaker government, 2025.

Tourism policy: a strategy on hold

The context

Brussels welcomed approximately 8.5 million overnight stays in 2024, up from the post-COVID years. The Region has a dedicated body, Visit.brussels, responsible for tourism promotion and sector support.

What is suspended

The regional strategic tourism plan, which defines priorities and investments for the development of tourism in Brussels, is suspended. Visit.brussels continues its routine promotion activities but cannot:

• Launch major new campaigns requiring additional budgets
• Develop new international partnerships committing the Region
• Fund new tourist reception infrastructure
• Adapt the strategy to changes in the international tourism market

Source: Visit.brussels, activity report 2024; hub.brussels, Brussels economic observatory.

Sectoral employment premiums

Regional employment premiums specific to the horeca sector, managed by Actiris, are an important lever for encouraging recruitment in a sector that struggles to attract staff. Under a caretaker government:

• Premium amounts cannot be increased
• Eligibility criteria cannot be broadened to new target groups
• Specific support programmes cannot be strengthened
• Coordination between Actiris, Forem and VDAB for commuting workers is frozen

Source: Actiris, annual report 2024.

What continues to function

Existing support

Employment support programmes committed before June 2024 continue to be implemented. Horeca employers already receiving premiums or subsidies continue to receive them under the agreed terms.

Basic tourism promotion

Visit.brussels continues its promotion activities within its existing operating budget. Campaigns planned before June 2024 are being carried out normally.

Support services

Actiris and hub.brussels continue to support jobseekers and entrepreneurs in the horeca sector with existing resources.

Impact on the ground

The freeze on regional mechanisms has direct consequences for the sector's daily life:

• Reduced seasonal employment: fewer seasonal positions opened during peak periods
• Postponed investments: renovation and expansion projects are on hold
• Weakened competitiveness: Brussels establishments are disadvantaged compared to neighbouring regions that adapt their policies
• Stagnating tourist appeal: without new initiatives, Brussels loses ground to other European capitals

Outlook

The Brussels horeca sector demonstrated its resilience during the health crisis. But the combination of persistent inflation, structural recruitment difficulties and the absence of an active regional policy weakens a sector already under pressure.

Each tourist season without adapted support represents lost revenue for establishments, a missed employment opportunity for workers and a weakening of Brussels' economic attractiveness.

Main sources: Federation Horeca Brussels; Actiris, annual report 2024; Visit.brussels, activity report 2024; hub.brussels, economic observatory.