Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Luxembourg; Maxime Prévot, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation of Belgium;
Credit: MAE
On Tuesday 20 May 2025, Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, took part in a ceremony in Brussels marking the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Consular Cooperation between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of Belgium, alongside his Belgian counterpart, Maxime Prévot.
According to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, the principle of consular cooperation between the two countries dates back to the 1921 convention establishing the Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU). The 1965 agreement on consular assistance further detailed the terms of a unique partnership, allowing Luxembourg citizens to receive consular support from Belgian embassies and consulates in countries where Luxembourg has no representation.
Minister Bettel stated: “Diplomacy is not only about international politics conducted behind closed doors; it is also an essential public service, delivered daily to our citizens. I am thinking of various situations: repatriation during crises, theft or loss of identity documents, serious accidents or illness, arrest abroad, or assisting families in the event of a death overseas. I welcome the excellent cooperation with our Belgian partners. And it is not only Belgium assisting Luxembourg - we also provide the same support to Belgian citizens in countries where Belgium has no representation.” He added: “The close collaboration between our diplomatic networks abroad is a real asset, enabling us to respond more effectively to the needs of our citizens around the world.”
The Foreign Ministry reiterated its recommendation that all Luxembourgish nationals declare their stays abroad prior to departure via the “Lëtzebuerger am Ausland” (LAMA) platform: https://guichet.public.lu/fr/citoyens/loisirs/tourisme/droits-voyageurs/sejour-etranger/declaration-sejour-etranger.html. Such declarations allow consular services to take a more proactive approach in the event of major disruptions such as a crisis or natural disaster. The ministry also advised travellers to check entry requirements and the security situation in their destination country before departure.
