Prime Minister Babiš held talks with his Belgian counterpart, De Wever, on strengthening cooperation between the two countries, with an emphasis on en
On Friday 8 May 2026, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, welcomed the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium, Bart De Wever, to Prague; Mr De Wever had travelled to the Czech Republic on a working visit. The main part of the programme took place at Kramář Villa. The talks between the two leaders focused on deepening Czech‑Belgian relations in the fields of trade, industry, energy and security, as well as on current European and global issues.
Following the official opening, a bilateral meeting ensued, during which Prime Minister Babiš and his Belgian counterpart discussed current issues in Czech-Belgian cooperation as well as other European and international topics.
"We have excellent, friendly relations with Belgium, and we cooperate closely within the EU and NATO. I appreciate all the more the opportunity to focus on our bilateral relations today directly in Prague," stated Prime Minister Babiš, recalling that history also connects the two countries. "Today we are commemorating exactly 81 years since the end of World War II in Europe, and it is highly symbolic that Belgian soldiers participated in the liberation of Pilsen," the Czech Prime Minister appreciated the shared historical bond.
Belgium is one of the key trading partners of the Czech Republic and the tenth-largest domestic investor. "Our bilateral trade is thriving. Last year, we exported goods worth a record CZK 136 billion to Belgium, and the mutual exchange stands at CZK 220 billion. We cooperate in the field of high-tech; we are also very active in cooperating with Belgium on semiconductor initiatives, including the future Chips Act 2.0," stated Prime Minister Babiš.
Both sides agreed on the need for further development of cooperation, particularly in high-tech, such as in semiconductors or the aerospace industry. One of the key topics was also energy, in which both the Czech Republic and Belgium agree that nuclear energy is a vital component of the energy mix because it provides states with strategic independence. Nuclear power in Europe plays and will continue to play a crucial role in ensuring affordable and low-emission energy. "I am glad we have a strong partner in Belgium in promoting the importance of nuclear energy at the European level. There, we also face an upcoming battle over the next budget," added Prime Minister Babiš.
During their conversation, the two politicians also touched upon global topics. "The main topics were clear—the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, relations with the US, and energy security. The Czech Republic is very active regarding the revision of the EU ETS1 allowances. We are writing letters and proposing specific measures. I am glad that Prime Minister De Wever and I see eye to eye on this as well; we are both pragmatists," Prime Minister Andrej Babiš concluded his statement on today's talks, adding that both statesmen plan to build on them further, as the Czech Republic and the Kingdom of Belgium share a number of common topics.
