The European Union has long been a powerful economic and political coalition of the Old World. The close cooperation of the countries made it clear that sooner or later an official and single currency should be introduced throughout the European Union. In 1999, the euro was introduced for use in non-cash circulation. But already in 2002, the entire territory of the European countries that make up this union was flooded with a new monetary unit, which began to gradually replace the local currency. In the same way, the euro was introduced in Belgium, which became the official currency in the country. The euro cent became less important and, concurrently, a bargaining chip.
What currency was used in Belgium before the arrival of the euro
Before the euro became the single monetary currency of the entire European Union, the Belgian franc was distributed in Belgium. It was introduced in 1830 along with the country's independence from the Netherlands. It is no secret that the then territories of the Netherlands - Flanders and Wallonia - were closer in mentality to France. But at the same time, the long years of being under the rule of the Netherlands did their job, forming a new ethnos. The patronage of France influenced many of the foundations of life in the newly minted Belgium, including the local currency.
There was a period from 1926 to 1939 when a new currency was in circulation. It was called belga and was equal to 5 Belgian francs. At the time of the occupation by the forces of German troops, the Reichsmark was introduced in the country, temporarily replacing the established Belgian franc. This state of affairs persisted exactly until the liberation of the territories of Flanders and Wallonia from German troops.
Today, only the euro is accepted in the country, although many locals have Belgian francs lying around, and sometimes they pay with them, because there was no official threshold for the mandatory surrender of the old currency. There are no problems with the purchase of euros in our banks, so you can stock up on them for a trip without any extra problems.
Importing currency into Belgium
There is a strict restriction on this point in Belgium. For foreign citizens who are not EU residents, the import of funds is limited to 10,000 euros. At the same time, a large amount will have to be declared without fail, otherwise there will be serious problems with customs, up to deportation. But there are no problems with export. Any amount can be exported from Belgium. True, large amounts will definitely have to be declared.
Currency exchange in Belgium
Probably, there is no need to answer the question: what currency to take to Belgium? Since Euros are used here, it is best to take Euros. However, if it turned out that you took another currency, then it can be easily exchanged at exchange offices - airports, hotels, banks, specialized exchange offices, etc.
