Belgium

Belgium became the first EU country to fully decriminalize sex work via the Loi du 21 mars 2022 modifiant le Code pénal en ce qui concerne le droit pénal sexuel, which took effect 1 June 2022 and repealed the third-party criminalization provisions. The Loi du 3 mai 2024 followed, in force since 1 December 2024, granting sex workers full employment-contract rights — social security, pension, unemployment, maternity leave, paid vacation — and five enumerated sexual freedoms (right to refuse a client, refuse an act, stop at any time, set conditions, plus protections against retaliation). Employers must be Belgian legal entities, hold a state licence, pass criminal background checks (no sexual-assault or trafficking convictions), and install panic buttons in every room. The labour law is under constitutional challenge (Constitutional Court case nr. 8385, brought partly by Isala); a ruling is expected during 2026, but the law remains fully in force pending judgment.

The first licensed employer was officially recognised in early 2025 — a sex club in Gembloux, Namur province — confirming the framework is operational. Window prostitution remains dominant in Rue d'Aerschot near Brussels-Nord, the Schipperskwartier tolerance zone in Antwerp (~280 windows), and smaller scenes in Liège and Ghent; the Avenue Louise corridor in Brussels serves higher-end independent work. Enforcement focus has shifted to trafficking and unlicensed employers. UTSOPI reports uptake of the salaried model is slower than hoped — most operators remain reluctant to apply for licences, and most workers continue to operate self-employed rather than under contract.

Low. Belgium applies the EU GDPR in full and the 2024 law specifically permits anonymised contracts (e.g. registered under HORECA codes) to protect future employability. There is no Belgian equivalent of FOSTA/SESTA, so platforms hosting adult ads are not exposed to provider liability the way US sites are.

Excellent for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — freedom of movement applies; register with the local commune if staying more than 3 months. Non-EU workers need a residence permit authorising self-employment; a tourist Schengen visa does NOT authorise sex work, and undocumented workers fall outside the 2024 labour protections entirely (a gap flagged by UTSOPI, HRW, and Amnesty). Self-employment registration runs through a Belgian guichet d'entreprises with social-security affiliation to INASTI/RSVZ. Major hubs: Brussels, Antwerp, Liège, Ghent.

Redlights.be and Quartier-Rouge.be are the dominant Belgian directories (Dutch/French). International platforms in use: Tryst.link, EroticMonkey, Eurogirlsescort. X (Twitter) is the dominant social channel.

• UTSOPI — Belgian sex workers' union
• Espace P — Brussels/Wallonia frontline support
• Violett (formerly Payoke/Pasop) — Flanders outreach
• Amnesty International Belgium