Brexit has already created 3,500 tech jobs in Brussels, says European business leader: ‘It’s a huge opportunity for Belgium’

Belgian capital has a lot to offer companies who wish to retain access to single market and links to other European countries, says tech leader

Thousands of tech jobs have moved to Brussels from the UK due to Brexit with expectations of more to come once Britain leaves the EU, according to a sector leader.

As many as 3,500 roles have already been relocated to the Belgium capital, said Juan Bossicard, president of Microsoft’s Innovation Centre in the city.

The stream of tech workers leaving the UK began in the summer of 2016, Mr Bossicard told the New Statesman.

“Since Brexit began, 3,500 jobs have moved here from the UK and we expect far more to come after Brexit officially happens,” he said.

Mr Bossicard said Brexit offered a “huge opportunity” for Brussels, and added the city has a lot of offer UK companies, including single market access and good links to other European countries.

Ahead of the EU referendum, job losses linked to Brexit were forecast to be in the hundreds of thousands but since the vote these projections have been curtailed.

However, the Bank of England has said that Britain is set to lose 5,000 financial services jobs by 29 March next year, a prediction backed by the Treasury.

MPs are set to begin debating Theresa May’s Brexit deal, with a vote on the agreement due to take place in the coming days.

On Tuesday, an official at the European Court of Justice said Article 50 could be unilaterally revoked, sending the pound up against the dollar and the euro.