Foreign direct investments

What can you do?  

There are no specific recommendations for this risk.  

Check out our general advice to follow before, during, and after an emergency.

Impact and probability

The figures relating to probability and impact describe foreign direct investments of extreme magnitude. The BNRA theoretically describes such a scenario as follows: 

In Belgium, the most relevant scenario is:  

• Foreign investment is made in Belgium, which involves the acquisition of more than 50% of voting rights.  
• The investment is made in a critical sector. 
• The risk profile of a foreign investor is assessed according to the likelihood of interference by a country outside the European Union. This assessment takes into account factors such as: 
  • Whether there is a close link between the investor and the authorities of this country. 
  • The legislation or situation in the country, in particular if there is no democratic control or data protection agreements with the EU. 
  • The ownership structure of the company making the investment. 
  • The possibility that the country may exert pressure, for example by controlling the production site of equipment. 
  • The country's involvement in offensive cyber activities. 
• These factors help assess whether a foreign investment represents a risk.  

How should you interpret these results?

Within the BNRA, experts assessed three scenarios for each risk: considerable, major or extreme. On each page, you will find the results of the scenario with the highest score based on the combination of likelihood and impact. This does not mean that this scenario will occur or is the most likely. Read more here about how to correctly interpret the results.