Foreign relations of Belgium sanctioned the creation of Belgium in 1831 on the condition that the country remain strictly neutral. This policy of neutrality ended after the experience of German occupation during World War I. In the years preceding World War II, Belgium tried to return to a policy of neutrality, but once again, Germany invaded the country. In 1948, Belgium signed the Treaty of Brussels with the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and one year later became one of the founding members of the Atlantic Alliance. The Belgians have been strong advocates of European integration, and most aspects of their foreign,
Economy of Germany BMW, Deutsche Telekom, Bayer, BASF, Munich Re and SAP. Germany is the world's top location for trade fairs. Around two thirds of the world's leading trade fairs take place in Germany. The largest annual international trade fairs and congresses are held in several German cities such as Hanover, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig and Düsseldorf. The Industrial Revolution in Germany got underway approximately a century later than in England, France, and Belgium, partly because Germany only became a unified country in 1871. The establishment of the Deutscher Zollverein (German Customs Union) in 1834 and the expansion of railway systems were the main