Australian Embassy and Mission to the EU

Belgium-Luxembourg

Embassy address: Rue Guimardstraat 6-8, 1040 Brussels - Telephone: +32 (0) 2 286 0500 - Fax: +32 (0) 2 231 07 88

Welcome to the website of the Australian Embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg, and Mission to the European Union.

Our role is to promote Australia's relationships with the European Union, Belgium, Luxembourg and NATO.

The Embassy is open to the public from 08.30 to 17.00 hours, from Monday to Friday, except public holidays.

ANZAC DAY 2012 on the Western Front, Belgium

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs visits Brussels

Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP visited Brussels on 20 and 21 January 2012.

Mr Rudd met senior EU leaders including European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Economic, Monetary Affairs and the Euro Olli Rehn. He also called on the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and recently appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and European Affairs, Didier Reynders.

Australia is proud of its excellent and long standing relations with Belgium and the EU. We share many common values and cooperate on an ever expanding range of interests. Australia and the EU are working to deepen our cooperation through the negotiation of a bilateral Framework Agreement.

While in Brussels, Mr Rudd also held discussions with NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, and addressed the North Atlantic Council. A copy of Mr Rudd’s address to the North Atlantic Council Europe, Asia and Australia: New Imperatives for Cooperation can be found at
http://foreignminister.gov.au/speeches/2012/kr_sp_120120.html.

As part of his visit to NATO, Mr Rudd formally elevated Australia’s Representative to NATO, Dr Brendan Nelson, to Ambassador to NATO status. Dr Nelson’s appointment represents a deepening of Australia’s relationship with NATO. Australia is the largest non-NATO troop contributing nation to Afghanistan. See Mr Rudd’s media release on Dr Nelson’s appointment here:
http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2012/kr_mr_120120.html

A high point of Mr Rudd’s visit was a call on fellow Queenslander and Belgian Chocolate Master (2008 and 2010) Ryan Stevenson. For more see Mr Rudd’s YouTube clip at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeSI_97ajuo

Mr Rudd’s statement regarding his visit can be found here:
http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2012/kr_mr_120118a.html

Foreign Minister Rudd meeting with the President of the European Council, HE Mr Herman Van Rompuy on the 20 January 2012 at the European Council, Brussels.

Mr Rudd greets Mr Olli Rehn, Vice President of the European Commission with responsibilities for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro.

Mr Rudd and Belgian Foreign Minister Reynders share a joke following their meeting in Brussels on 20 January 2012

Istanbul Conference for Afghanistan

HE Dr Brendan Nelson, Australia's Representative to NATO, led Australia's delegation to the Istanbul Conference for Afghanistan held in Istanbul on 2 November 2011. Participants at the Conference included Afghanistan and its regional neighbours, who agreed the Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan. Australia and other members of the broader international community, including the US, attended as supporters of Afghanistan and the regional process.

Dr Nelson (left) was greeted by co-chairs of the Istanbul Conference, Turkish Foreign Minister, HE Professor Ahmet Davutoglu (centre) and Afghan Foreign Minister HE Dr Zalmai Rassoul (right).

Visit to Afghanistan

On a recent visit to Afghanistan, Australia's Representative to NATO, HE Dr Brendan Nelson, met senior representatives of the Afghan Government, including Foreign Minister Rassoul and Defence Minister Wardak, as well as senior commanders of the International Security Assistance Force. Dr Nelson also visited Tarin Kowt, the main city in Uruzgan Province. Australians in Tarin Kowt are providing security, training for the Afghan National Security Forces and development assistance to support local Afghan authorities deliver services to the people. Dr Nelson met Uruzgan Governor Muhammed Omar Shirzad while in Tarin Kowt.

Dr Nelson and Governor Shirzad in Tarin Kowt

Dr Nelson, Governor Shirzad and Australia's Ambassador to Afghanistan, HE Mr Paul Foley;

Dr Nelson and Mr Foley with Australian Federal Police officers and Afghan Police at the police training centre in Tarin Kowt.

Ministers promote education cooperation with the EU.

Australia's Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator the Hon Christopher Evans visited Brussels to promote Australia-EU cooperation in September 2011. Senator Evans' visit was followed by a visit from the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, the Hon Peter Garrett MP, who met key education and social policy officials during an October visit to Brussels. Australia-EU cooperation has been growing in the area of education and the Ministers' visits followed another successful Australia-EU education and training policy dialogue hosted in Australia earlier this year (more information on Australia-EU education and training policy dialogues).

Photo from right: HE Dr Brendan Nelson, Bodo Richter, International Policy Coordinator, Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC), Xavier Prats Monné, Deputy Director-General of DG EAC and the Hon Peter Garrett MP.

Agreement between the EU and Australia on the processing and transfer of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data.

Australian Ambassador, HE Dr Brendan Nelson, and Ambassador HE Jan Tombinski, Permanent Representative of Poland to the European Union and Chairman of the Permanent Representatives committee, sign the "Agreement between the EU and Australia on the processing and transfer of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data". PNR data is an important element in the Australian Government's measures to combat terrorism and transnational crime. The Agreement, which sets out Australia's commitment to respect the privacy of personal data, allows air carriers to transfer European-sourced PNR to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. The Agreement requires parliamentary approval on both sides before it can enter into force.

Australia welcomes the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso emphasised the new phase of closer cooperation between Australia and the European Union, during bilateral talks in Canberra on 5 September 2011.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and President Jose Manuel Barroso, together with Australia's Ambassador to the EU, HE Dr Brendan Nelson (right) and EU Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Australia and to New Zealand, HE David Daly (left).

The Joint Statement issued following the Meeting between the Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, and President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, can be found at this link.

Australia’s Ambassador, Dr Brendan Nelson, has written an op-ed on Australia-EU relations, published in The Australian on 5 September 2011. This article can be read here.

Please note that the Australian Embassy in Brussels has NO visa section. Check the Visa pages of this website for information.

Visa lodgement and processing arrangements for clients from France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco and Portugal: One single location
From 14 February 2011 permanent entry visas (except refugee and humanitarian, general skilled, business skills and parent subclasses) and paper temporary entry visa applications for residents of France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco and Portugal will be lodged and processed in a single location – the Australian Embassy in Madrid. (more)

OUR ADDRESS
Rue Guimard/Guimardstraat, 6-8
1040 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32 2 286 05 00
Fax: +32 2 231 07 88

Metro: Arts-Loi / Kunst-Wet

CONTACT US

Consular/passports services
Email: consular.brussels@dfat.gov.au
Tel. +32 (0)2 286 05 00
Customs, import/export to/from Australia
Email: customs.brussels@dfat.gov.au
Tel: +32 (0)2 286 05 84
Veterinary matters, quarantine
Email: daff.brussels@dfat.gov.au
Tel: +32 (0)2 286 05 82
Trade issues (please note that Brussels does not have an Austrade office)
Email: paris@austrade.gov.au
Education
Email: aei.brussels@dfat.gov.au
Tel: +32 (0)2 286 05 45
Science, Research and Innovation
Email: diisr.brussels@dfat.gov.au
Tel: +32 (0)2 286 0588
Media, events, cultural matters, external relations
Email: PubAffs.Brussels@dfat.gov.au
Tel: +32 (0)2 286 05 11/ 04
General enquiries
Email: Austemb.Brussels@dfat.gov.au
Tel: +32 (0)2 286 05 00
Comments on the website
Email: Webmaster.Brussels@dfat.gov.au

LATEST NEWS

► For information about Australia's assistance to people in need in the Horn of Africa and Libya, click here.

► The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-moon, visited Australia on 3 September 2011. This was the first visit by a UN Secretary-General in over a decade. Transcript of the meeting between Prime Minister Gillard and the Secreteray-General can be read here.

► ANZAC Day on the Western Front, Belgium, Monday, 25 April 2011: photos and program on Events page.

► Plans to commemorate ANZAC Day taking shape. With Anzac Day less than a week away, the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Warren Snowdon, reminded Australians of the many commemorative events taking place both domestically and overseas this year.(more)

► Gillard Government reforms Australia's trade policy, 12 April 2011
In an important economic reform, the Gillard Government has overhauled Australia's trade policy, re-connecting with the Hawke-Keating philosophy of free and open trade. (more)

► Ministerial Meeting on Trade with European Trade Commissioner De Gucht - Sydney, 16 March 2011
At the Australia-EU Ministerial Meeting on Trade held in Sydney on 16 March, Trade Minister Craig Emerson and European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht agreed that finalising the Doha Round of global trade liberalisation was a top priority for both Australia and the European Union. (more)

► AUSTRALIA DAY 2011:
Message from HE Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of Australia
Message from HE Dr Brendan Nelson , Ambassador of Australia

► Australia celebrates cultural diversity
The Australian Government has reaffirmed its commitment to multiculturalism and, to this end, has issued its new multicultural policy. It recognises the rights of all Australians to celebrate, practice and maintain their cultural traditions and heritage, free from discrimination and within the law. The new policy fits into the broader aims of national unity, community harmony and maintenance of our democratic values. To access the Australia's Multicultural Policy booklet, click here.

► Poppy crosses from Tasmania to Australian Digger's graves in Belgium
A group of primary school children from Newtown,Tasmania, made and signed 209 small wooden crosses bearing a red poppy and the inscription 'Australia remembers' and to be placed on the graves of World War One Australian Diggers buried in Belgium.On Remembrance Day, the Australian Ambassador, HE Dr Brendan Nelson, together with Major General Brian Dawson of Australian Defence, placed a cross made by the children of Newtown on the grave of Private William Henry Whelan from North Hobart. (more)

► Australia supporting the Millenium Development Goals
The Australian Foreign Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd, addressed the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) Summit in New York on 22 September 2010. To read Minister Rudd's speech, click here.
The Gillard Government puts the MDGs at the heart of Australia's aid program. To find out more about how Australia supports the MDGs, click here.

► 2009-10 Australia-European Union Partnership Framework (more)

► Australians benefit from health agreement with Belgium. (more)

► Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef in the top 28 natural wonders of the world (more)

MORE NEWS