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,
Belgium–France relations Paris, they were welcomed during a visite de Courtoisie. They were received by the president Hollande. In 2007, French president Sarkozy and Belgian Prime Minister Verhofstadt called for the euro zone to have an economic government. In September 2008, the French government acted with the Belgian government and with other stakeholders to grant Franco-Belgian bank Dexia a €6.4 billion bailout. The two countries signed a trade agreement in 1934. In 1997, French and Belgian defence ministers Alain Richard and Jean-Paul Poncelet signed an agreement providing for Belgium's use of the French armed forces' Syracuse communication satellite system. Belgium–France relations Belgium–France