The European Times - Belgium 3 by The European Times

BELGIUM

Belfius Bank & Insurance, a relationship-based bank and insurer anchored locally. Since it was acquired by the Belgian Federal State through the Federal Holding and Investment Company in October 2011, Belfius Bank & Insurance has focused on

serving individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, corporates and public and social institutions.

“After the takeover by the government, we managed to regain the trust of our clients. In March 2012, we changed the bank’s name to reflect its new identity as a locally anchored, 100% government-owned bank,” explains Jos Clijsters, CEO.

Top 3 player in Retail and Commercial Banking

Top 5 player in Insurance

Belfius currently serves around 4 million retail customers, from individuals and self-employed entrepreneurs to small and medium-sized enterprises. The bank follows an integrated multi-channel distribution strategy based on leading edge digital and mobile solutions on the one hand and a broad physical network on the other.

Belfius Insurance is active on the Belgian insurance market with a comprehensive product range in Life and Non-Life insurance for individuals, the self-employed, businesses, the social profit and the public sector through a range of brands and channels (DVV Insurance, Belfius Insurance through the bank branch network and Corona Direct, a direct insurer).

Major role in Public and Wholesale Banking

Sustainable Development as a global strategic priority

Belfius has always been the preferred partner of public sector and social profit organisations (hospitals, schools, universities, rest homes and so on) in Belgium. It provides its clients with a complete and integrated range of products and services, extending from credit lending and treasury management to budget optimisation and financial IT solutions.

Belfius has established a clear and well-defined strategy on sustainable development based on commitments to the business, to sound governance, to society, to its clients and last but not least to the environment. Detailed information is available in the annual report on Sustainable Development, published on the bank’s website (www.belfius.be).

Corporate banking activities are directed principally at businesses operating in Belgium, with the focus particularly on medium-sized corporates.

“It takes time and a great deal of effort to regain ‘trust’ but, by showing profitable financials and communicating clearly on what we have achieved, we are consistently succeeding,” Jos Clijsters says.

Key figures • Net profit of EUR 255 million for the first half of 2013 • Significant strengthening of solvency with a core Tier 1 ratio of 14.3% as at 30 June 2013 • Increase in retail customer investments: EUR +1.3 billion compared to the end of December 2013, at EUR 93 billion as at 30 June 2013 • More than EUR 4 billion of loans granted in Belgium in the fist half of 2013

Belfius Bank SA, blvd. Pachéco 44, 1000 Brussels – IBAN BE23 0529 0064 6991 – BIC GKCCBEBB – RPM Brussels VAT BE 0403.201.185 – FSMA no. 19649 A.

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BELGIUM INTRODUCTION

• Forward-Thinking Prime Minister Hopeful about Belgium’s Future 4 • Multilingual, Multicultural Microcosm of Europe 5 • Minister Highlights Importance of Agriculture and SMEs • • • •

in Belgian Economy 7 One of the World’s Most Open, Competitive Economies 8 Long History of Fruitful Partnerships between China and Belgium 10 SMEs Backbone of Belgian Economy 11 Essential Services for Financial-Services Providers and Consumers 12

GOVERNMENT

• Government Structure Gives Regions Significant Autonomy

BRUSSELS-CAPITAL REGION • • • • • • • • • • •

Brussels Minister Working to Keep Capital on the Move Europe’s Dynamic Multicultural Capital Europe’s Business Hub Summit Brings EU Business Leaders and PolicyMakers Together Brussels-Capital Region: Hub for Business and Decision-Making What to See and Do in Brussels HORECA Association Boosting Brussels’ Tourism Appeal Husa President Park Hotel 362 Avenue Louise Leopold Hotel Brussels EU Le Bugatti

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 26 27

FLANDERS • • • • • • •

Flanders Minister-President Highlights Innovation Exceptional Business Environment in Flanders Impressive Track Record for Education System Flanders Focuses on Innovation Exceptional Choice for Business and Tourism Flanders: Your Business Base in Europe Essential Support for Flanders’ Auto Industry

29 30 31 32 33 34 38

Leuven: Strong Synergy between City and University KU Leuven LMS International Vilvoorde – The Fastest Developing City in Belgium

40 41 42 43

Province of Antwerp • Leading Logistics Hub and Much More

Antwerp: An Excellent Choice for Tourism, Business and Daily Life 46 Long History as Cultural and Trade Crossroads 47 Grossmann Diamond Manufacturing 48 Port of Antwerp: Leading Global Shipping Hub 49 One-Stop-Shop Investor Service in Antwerp 49 Geel: Small City with Many Attractions 50

Province of Limburg • Hasselt: Many Cities in One • Capital of Limburg • A Great Day in the Country for the Whole Family

52 53 54

Province of East Flanders • East Flanders: Innovative, Business-Friendly, Ideally Located • Eandis • Ghent: Thriving Economy and Cultural Appeal

56 58 59

Province of West Flanders • Diverse Economy and Major Energy Initiative 61 • West Flanders Development Agency Promoting Entrepreneurship 62 • Blankenberge, Tourism Hub on the Coast 63

WALLONIA • Wallonia Has the ‘Wow’ Factor • Economy Minister Highlights Wallonia’s Economic • • • •

Success Story Wallonia: Outstanding Tourism Appeal in the Heart of Europe Former Industrial Hub Transforming Its Economy Wallonia’s Economic Rebirth Historic Racing Circuit and Unforgettable Meetings Venue

65 66 67 68 69 72

Province of Namur • Namur: Dynamic ‘Smart’ City Known for Innovation • Wallonia’s Thriving Capital

74 75

Province of Liège

Province of Flemish Brabant • • • •

• • • • • •

• Liège Governor Highlights Province’s Investment Appeal • Economic Powerhouse • University of Liège

77 78 79

GERMAN-SPEAKING COMMUNITY • Belgium’s German-Speaking Community: Small is Beautiful 81 • German-Speaking Belgium Offers Wealth of Tourism Attractions 83 Special Thanks to:

BELGIUM

Government Relations: Therry Brunache – Project Coordinators: Leah Smith, Erica Meslin, Nikoleta Petkanska, Redouan Takkal, Suzana Skoko, Ivana Carapic, Ashleigh Bello – International Business Analyst: Ashleigh Bello, Karim Chaoui – Country Manager: Tom Boeckx – Editorial: Emily Emerson-Le Moing – Design: Martine Vandervoort, Johny Verstegen, Walter Vranken, Dirk Van Bun The European Times PO Box 685 66 – London EC1P 1XP – United Kingdom – Phone: +44 (0)208 371 2356 – Fax: +44 (0)208 371 2410 info@european-times.com – www.european-times.com The European Times is a trading name of Crystal Mediacorp Ltd This guide is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This publication, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced, stored electronically or transmitted in any form, without the prior written permission of European Times. Every effort has been made to ensure information contained in this publication is correct and up-to-date. The authors and publisher accept no responsibility for any errors it may contain, or for any loss, ﬁnancial or otherwise, sustained by any person using this publication.

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Forward-thinking prime minister hopeful about Belgium’s Future in chemistry from the university of mons-hainaut and studied at the uK’s university of Leeds. he heads Belgium’s socialist party and is the world’s ﬁrst openly gay man to lead a nation.

35 years of government service the prime minister’s political career began in 1982 when he was elected a municipal councillor in mons; later he was elected mayor. he then served as a member of Belgium’s parliament, a member of the european parliament and as Deputy prime minister. When he became prime minister, he ended a 535-day government crisis during which Belgium had been led by a caretaker government which was unable to resolve the country’s political problems. He is the ﬁrst Frenchspeaker to serve as largely Flemish-speaking Belgium’s prime minister since 1979.

Elio Di Rupo, Prime Minister of Belgium since 2011, remains positive about his countryʼs

future. In a speech in November 2013, he

commented, “We have many talents here in Belgium and we are seeing signs of economic

recovery. I am therefore very optimistic about our countryʼs economic growth.”

the prime minister is known for overcoming challenges. he grew up in a small town in Belgium’s French-speaking Wallonia region as the son of impoverished italian immigrants. he earned a master’s degree and a doctorate

During his speech in november 2013, elio Di rupo touched on the challenges Belgium must overcome, from traffic congestion around major cities to political differences, including voters who would prefer to see the multilingual, multi-cultural country divided into separate areas. he said, “We now have 62 members of parliament who are French-speaking and 88 members who are Flemish-speaking, including 40 separatists. the main challenge of the upcoming elections is to prevent the number of separatists from growing, in order to prevent Belgium from entering into a troubled period.” While the prime minister has been criticised for his inability to speak Flemish fluently, he is praised for saving his nation from crisis. Francis Van de Woestyne, who wrote a 2011 biography of the prime minister titled ‘a Life, a Vision’, says that “35 years in politics have demonstrated elio Di rupo’s patience, charisma and good leadership qualities.” he adds, “mr. Di rupo takes a lot of time to listen to everyone and thus has many strategies for ﬁnding compromises, and he has good contacts across the political spectrum. Belgians are very grateful for his efforts to resolve the government crisis, which lasted much too long.”

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multilingual, multicultural microcosm of europe Belgium, strategically located on the North Sea

between the Netherlands and France, is a true

microcosm of Europe. This dynamic multilingual,

multicultural country is divided into three distinct regions: Dutch- (or Flemish-) speaking Flanders in the north, French-speaking Wallonia in the south, and Brussels, the national capital, where the two languages share oﬃcial status. A small

German-speaking minority of some 70,000

inhabitants is located in the eastern part of the country. Brussels is also the oﬃcial capital of Europe since it is the home of the EU, NATO and

many other leading European and international organisations.

Brussels - Kunstberg/Mont des Arts

Despite its small size, Belgium has a unique and complex institutional and political structure. it is a federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy, and its federal government includes a bicameral legislature made up of the Chamber of representatives and the senate. however, each of the country’s three main regions (Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital region) has its own government. the federal government mainly has authority over foreign affairs, immigration issues, social security and defence while regional governments have authority over regional affairs. each of the three main language groups (Flemish, French and German) also has its own administration. tensions between the two main language communities sometimes run high, and the issue has brought down several governments, creating frequent political instability. opinion polls suggest most Belgians want to maintain the federation, but separatist parties often score well in elections in Flanders.

Global trade hub for centuries high quality of life Belgians enjoy a very high quality of life. most own their own homes and all beneﬁt from an excellent social security and healthcare system as well as great shopping, many ﬁne restaurants, prestigious educational institutions and exceptional cultural venues.

thanks to its location and many major ports, Belgium has been a key european and global trade hub for centuries. traces of the austrians, spanish, French and Dutch of the past can still be seen in Belgian architecture. Belgium achieved signiﬁcant renown in the middle ages when the ports of Bruges and antwerp were among the largest and busiest in europe. ruled

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successively by many different countries, Belgium gained its final independence in 1830 and drew up a constitution. Belgium launched its industrial revolution early but now the services sector accounts for around 70% of the country’s GDp. the Belgian economy is modern, open and privatesector-led. As a small country, Belgium has developed significant international trade and has made the most of its central location by investing in cutting-edge transport infrastructure. roughly three-quarters of Belgium’s trade is with other eu countries, particularly Germany. While Belgium was threatened by recession in 2012, by the end of the year the government had almost reached its goal of reducing the budget deficit to 3% of GDP, although public debt remains high. Belgian banks were severely affected by the international financial crisis in 2008 but the financial sector is recovering. Belgium’s economic productivity is among the highest in the world. Belgium is also a very safe country, with a remarkably low crime rate, and Brussels has been ranked the world’s safest capital. among the best known Belgians are Georges rémi (hergé), creator of the tintin comic-strip; writers Georges simenon and hugo Claus; composer and singer Jacques Brel; and cyclist eddy merckx. painters like James ensor, paul Delvaux and rené magritte are successors of rubens and other Flemish masters of the past.

much more than chocolate and beer Belgium is famous for its chocolates, French fries (which some say are a Belgian invention), and beer, of which more than 1,000 brands are produced. But Belgium is much more than these stereotypes. it has a thriving economy which has adapted to global changes to focus on high-tech, knowledgebased activities as well as the traditional heavy industry, manufacturing and agriculture. Belgium is also a top tourism destination, with great variety to offer visitors. Belgium’s landscape is as diverse as its ofﬁcial languages. the country has 67 km of coastline along the north sea, a central plateau, and rolling hills and forests in the ardennes region in the southeast. Flanders in the north is the home of antwerp, Bruges and Ghent, all known for their historic monuments and artistic creations. to the south in Wallonia are Liège, namur and tournai, each with its own attractions, while Brussels is one of europe’s most cosmopolitan major cities and a very popular choice for city breaks. Belgium has prospered as a modern, technologically advanced european state for over 50 years. Looking to the future, the country’s leaders aim to ﬁnd solutions for the tensions between Wallonia and Flanders and to continue to develop a sustainably growing, knowledge-oriented economy that will help maintain Belgium’s role as a european and global leader. Atomium, Brussels

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minister highlights importance of agriculture and smes in Belgian economy Sabine Laruelle, Minister of the Middle Class,

SMEs, Self-Employment and Agriculture, discusses Belgiumʼs advantages as an investment target.

achieves €47 billion in annual turnover and we anticipate an increase of around €5 billion over the next four years. around 75% of Belgium’s food industry is in Flanders and Brussels, so we are promoting investment in Wallonia, where agricultural land is still available. agriculture in Flanders closely resembles that of France and the netherlands and mainly involves the production of pork and vegetables, whereas in Wallonia, the main agricultural products are cereals, milk, beef and sugar. European Times: What is your main focus concerning SMEs? Sabine Laruelle: Belgium is a land of smes! around 99% of our companies are actually smes, and 92% have fewer than 10 fulltime employees. as everyone at the regional and national level agrees, Belgium’s recovery from the economic crisis will be achieved by smes. European Times: Can you highlight some of the progress that has been made during your term as minister? Sabine Laruelle: We have improved the situation of the self-employed, who now have better access to healthcare, pensions, family allowances, and other beneﬁts. We are also revising the social-security-payment system for the selfemployed to base it on income rather than a set percentage. For smes, we have improved their access to credit from banks thanks to a new bill that prevents banks from using unfair practices with small businesses. in 2010, Belgium was judged the second-best european country at implementing the eu small Business act, and i have submitted a plan for even more support for smes.

European Times: What are your priorities as minister concerning the agriculture sector? Sabine Laruelle: as the spokeswoman for Belgium at the european Council of ministers of agriculture, i work with my regional colleagues to ensure that Belgium’s agricultural expertise continues to play a key role in the european economy. Belgium’s food industry is one of the ﬁnest in europe; for example, Belgium is the eu’s top producer and exporter of frozen vegetables. the Belgian food industry

European Times: What is your personal message to foreign investors? Sabine Laruelle: i welcome all kinds of investors who will create jobs and pay their taxes! even if it rains from time to time here, Belgium is a friendly country with excellent quality of life, and we have a highly qualiﬁed workforce as well as available land and state-of-the-art transport infrastructure. Belgium is the european crossroads.

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one of the World’s most open, Competitive economies Port of Antwerp

Small but strategically located, Belgium has developed a dynamic, highly trade-oriented

economy which is ranked one of the most open, competitive and globalised economies in the world. In fact, according to the KOF Index, Belgium is the

most globalised country on the planet, and the World Economic Forumʼs “Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014” ranks Belgium the worldʼs 17th most-competitive country.

In an important sign of international conﬁdence in the future of Belgium’s economy, Fitch ratings service announced in november 2013 that it was maintaining its investment-grade rating for Belgium thanks to the country’s ability to escape a recession earlier in the year and its good prospects for controlling public debt by 2014.

Fitch expects modest recovery in Belgium’s GDp growth beginning in 2014 after two years of stagnation and notes that ﬁscal-ﬁnancing conditions continue to improve in Belgium while risks arising from the banking sector are receding. Fitch states that its double-a rating for Belgium, which is two levels under triple-a, is supported by the country’s diverse economy, high per capita income and solid institutions.

structural reforms in 2012 have positive effect While the global economic crisis hit Belgium hard as it did all trade-oriented markets, the Belgian economy has weathered the crisis quite well, according to an oeCD report published in early 2013. Fiscal structural reforms launched in 2012 are part of the reason for the country’s recovery. the oeCD points out that challenges for Belgium include declining domestic demand, an aging population, infrastructure saturation, and the continuing effects of the economic crisis in the country’s top export markets.

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in fact, services accounted for around 77% of the country’s GDp in 2012, according to the Cia World Factbook. Belgium has built the right foundations to support continued innovation-led economic activities. the country has 16 universities, highly rated management schools, and a broad-based community of world-class scientific institutes. Belgium is also well known for supporting close cooperation between the business community and research institutions. this collaboration has resulted in highly successful enterprises like imeC, which is ranked a global leader in research in micro- and nanoelectronics, nanotechnology and more. to maintain its competitive edge in innovation-based activities, Belgium’s federal and regional governments continue to implement new fiscal incentives for R&D investment and for links between the private sector and research institutions. This focus on research and creativity has also benefited the country’s industrial activities, which contributed around 22.3% of Belgium’s GDp in 2012. Belgium’s top industrial sectors are engineering and metal products, motor-vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, basic metals, textiles, glass and petroleum.

While Belgium’s public debt is still high, the government has announced that it will achieve a structural budget balance by 2015. the government has already reduced the budget deﬁcit from a peak of 6% of GDP in 2009 to 3.3% in 2012.

GDp beginning to grow again Belgium’s GDp grew by 1.8% in 2011 while the unemployment rate decreased slightly to 7.2% from 8.3% in 2010. a reuters report in october 2013 noted that Belgium’s economy accelerated in the third quarter of 2013, with GDp growing by .3% over the second quarter and by .4% compared to the third quarter of 2012, a sign of overall recovery. the national Bank of Belgium, the country’s central bank, predicts that GDp growth will gradually increase over the coming months to reach around 1.1% growth in 2014. the National Bank also estimates that inﬂation will continue to decline from 2.6 % in 2012 to 1% in 2013 and 1.2% in 2014.

Focus on innovation One of the world’s ﬁrst industrialised countries, Belgium in recent decades has focused on innovation and creativity and its economy is increasingly dominated by the services sector.

Significant advantages for foreign investors Belgium’s competitive economy has attracted significant international investment. The “Ernst & Young European investment monitor 2012” report ranked Belgium number five in Europe in investment attractiveness, and FDI in Belgium in 2012 rose by 10.5% between 2011 and 2012 alone to total 169 new FDi projects over the year. top foreign investors in Belgium are the us, France, Germany and the netherlands. Business services remained the favourite sector for most foreign investors in Belgium in 2012, but companies active in food, chemicals, machinery and equipment, plastic and rubber, and scientific instruments also increased their investments. the number of manufacturing projects in Belgium almost doubled from 31 in 2011 to 57 in 2012, according to the Ernst & Young report. Belgium provides a level playing field for foreign investors along with a wide range of other advantages, which include the country’s strategic location, world-leading ports, highly developed transport infrastructure, skilled multilingual human resources, affordable real estate prices, globally leading productivity, an advanced regulatory framework which offers protection for all investors, exceptional financial services, and high quality of life.

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Long history of Fruitful partnerships between China and Belgium first to export advanced technologies to China, the first to provide government loans and the first to establish industrial-cooperation funds with China; the two countries have set up three joint industrial funds so far. Belgium stands for the principle of free trade, opposes trade protectionism, and played a positive role in settling trade disputes between China and the eu. China regards Belgium as a bridge to europe. European Times: What are some trends in bilateral trade?

Liao Liqiang, Chinaʼs Ambassador to Belgium, discusses ties between the two countries.

European Times: Can you describe relations between China and Belgium? Liao Liqiang: China and Belgium, after a centuries-long history of productive exchanges, officially established diplomatic ties in 1971 and for over 40 years the two countries have consolidated friendly and cooperative relations on the basis of mutual respect and equality. Leaders of both sides have worked together to build productive bilateral relations in various fields. The two countries respect each other and accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns. Belgium was one of the first western countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, the

Liao Liqiang: China-Belgium trade rose from around €14.6 million in 1971 to around €19.3 billion in 2012, a thousand-fold increase. Belgium is China’s sixth-largest trading partner in the eu, while China is Belgium’s second-largest trading partner outside the eu. two-way investment has become increasingly active in recent years. Belgian investment in China has reached €945 million, and China has become Belgium’s largest investment destination in asia. Chinese investment in Belgium is growing rapidly as well and has exceeded €439.6 million. the two countries also cooperate in financial services, ports, logistics and high technology. in addition, cultural and educational exchanges between China and Belgium are flourishing and the establishment of Chinese cultural centres in Belgium has brought the two countries’ cultural ties to a new level. European Times: What is the future of ChinaBelgium relations? Liao Liqiang: the two countries’ industries are highly complementary, and Belgium and China have great opportunities to strengthen their cooperation in such fields as microelectronics, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, environmental protection, sustainable development, green agriculture, SMEs, finance, telecommunications, and two-way investment. Combining China’s capital and market strength with Belgium’s technology and talent benefits both countries. China and Belgium are currently involved in discussions on visa policy to facilitate even more exchanges and cooperation between the enterprises, universities, students, researchers and tourists of our two countries.

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smes Backbone of Belgian economy has predicted that 475 existing businesses with at least 10 employees will grow by 20% over the next three years.

smes more resilient to global crisis While smes are not immune to economic crises, they have proven more resilient than larger companies to the effects of the global economic downturn. smes are usually turned towards domestic markets so tend to be less affected by the slowdown in international trade and rising commodity prices. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have long been the backbone of the Belgian

economy and the number of the countryʼs SMEs continues to grow. According to the

Belgian Union of Self-Employed Entrepreneurs

amCham Belgium praises Belgium’s strong start-up economy, which shows that entrepreneurs are conﬁdent in Belgium as a business base. in a report it issued in mid-2013, the Chamber urged the Belgian government to step up its support for smes in the future.

in Flanders slowed in 2012, SMEs remain an

a european Commission survey of smes across the eu in 2012 showed that Belgium’s sme sector has a higher percentage of micro-enterprises than the eu average and that Belgian smes’ contribution to the country’s creation of value added is also higher. according to the eu study, smes in Belgium are slightly more likely to engage in services than their eu peers (47% vs. 45%), and somewhat less likely to be active in trade (27% vs. 30%).

as the american Chamber of Commerce (amCham) in Belgium points out, small, fast-growing companies are an important factor in driving innovation and employment in Belgium. even at the height of the economic crisis, smes created more than 28,800 jobs in Flanders alone. VoKa, Flanders’ Chamber of Commerce and industry,

Deloitte Fiduciaire notes that one of the strengths of Belgium’s SMEs is their tendency to self-ﬁnance. In fact, according to Deloitte, one-fourth of Belgian smes fund around 75% of their operations through their own resources. recognising the importance of smes in the recession-threatened eu economy, the european Commission announced in october 2013 that it will hand out vouchers worth up to €10,000 to stimulate eu smes to adopt digital technologies, which can include enhancing e-commerce and iCt capabilities.

(UNIZO), 72,643 new SMEs were created in

Brussels and Wallonia in 2012, a rise of 1.82%

in Brussels and 0.1% in Wallonia over the previous year. While the creation of new SMEs

important source of job creation in the region.

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essential services for Financialservices providers and Consumers and the public at large; and taking part in debates on matters relevant to the financial sector.

easy-to-understand information for consumers

The

Belgian

Financial

Sector

Federation

(Febelﬁn) is the voice of Belgiumʼs ﬁnancial-services

providers.

Representing

272

member institutions, Febelﬁn serves as a liaison between its members and government leaders, policy-makers, supervisors, trade associations and pressure groups at the national and European levels. Febelfin’s members include large, medium-sized and small banks; niche players; other financial-services enterprises; financial-infrastructure providers and more. Febelfin speaks for the Belgian financial sector as a whole, with the exception of insurance companies. its main tasks are defining positions held by and on behalf of its members; lobbying at the national and european level and taking part in social negotiations; providing information and counseling as well as training through the Febelfin academy; communicating with its members

Febelfin’s annual report on the Belgian financial sector is an essential source of information. Febelfin has also launched creative ways of communicating with consumers; the company’s 2012 “Dave” viral video illustrating ways people’s personal information can be stolen by hackers was viewed on Youtube more than eight million times and made the global top 20 of the most successful viral campaigns for the year. Also in 2012, Febelfin and the Flemish government reached a consensus on how sme’s and social projects can be financed long-term. Febelfin continues to expand its training programmes at the Febelfin Academy. In 2012, the training institute launched a new platform blending classroom and e-learning, and this year new courses for credit mediators and compliance officers were created. a recent project for Febelfin, “my money and me”, aims to help consumers understand financial services. through a website, www.monargentetmoi.be or www. mijngeldenik.be, Febelfin explains in clear terms such issues as payments, loans, savings accounts, investments and banking. through “my money and me”, Febelfin responds to the growing need for easy-to-understand information and transparency about banking and other financial services. as michel Vermaerke, Ceo of Febelfin, points out, “Financial competence is just one of the steps that lead to more prosperity. Banking indeed is an elemental part of our daily life. thanks to a better understanding of the way in which financial institutions work, and of the products they offer, people should be able to have a good grasp of what is needed for taking financial decisions that are right. investing in this is a duty of everyone involved in the financial sector, including banks, public authorities and consumers alike.”

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Government

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Government Structure Gives Regions SigniďŹ cant Autonomy

type of Government The Kingdom of Belgium is ofďŹ cially a federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy. Belgium achieved independence from the netherlands in 1830 and its constitution was approved by the Belgium national Congress in 1831. the constitution was

amended many times and revised in 1993 to create a federal state.

organisation Belgiumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief of state is the hereditary monarch, currently King philippe (since august 2013). he followed his

father, King albert ii, who abdicated the throne in July 2013 at the age of 80. the heir apparent to King philippe is his daughter princess elisabeth. the monarch appoints a cabinet, known as the Council of ministers. the King is the symbol of the unity and permanence of the nation and the moderator of political life.

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Federal Parliament Building

the head of Government is the prime minister, who is assisted by several Deputy prime ministers.

German communities. Belgium is further divided into 10 provinces and 589 municipal councils.

Federal legislature

each region has its own executive branch (regional Government) and legislative branch (regional parliament). members of Regional Parliaments are elected directly every ﬁve years.

the federal legislative branch is a bicameral parliament, which is made up of the senate with 71 seats and a Chamber of Deputies, with 150 seats. of the 71 members of the senate, 40 are directly elected by popular vote and 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms. of the 150 members of the Chamber of Deputies, all are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation and all serve four-year terms.

regional autonomy as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision, Belgium’s government now has three levels: federal, regional, and linguistic community, with a complex division of responsibilities among the three. the federal government retains important powers, for example in the areas of foreign affairs, national defence, justice, ﬁnance, social security, important parts of national health and domestic affairs, and others. Belgium’s regions have the power to establish and maintain foreign relations as well as make decisions about local economic, infrastructure, regulatory and social-services issues. the three regional governments are the governments of the Brussels-Capital region, Flanders and Wallonia. the linguistic communities are the Flemish (Dutch), French and

as for the linguistic communities, the Flemish (Dutchspeaking) Community exercises its powers in the Flemish provinces and in Brussels; the French Community in the Walloon provinces, with the exception of German-speaking communes, and in Brussels; and the German-speaking Community in the communes of the province of Liège that form Belgium’s German-speaking language area. in Flanders, regional and community governments have been combined.

Legal system and judiciary Belgium’s federal civil-law system is based on the French Civil Code, but Belgian law continues to be modified to conform with legislative norms mandated by the eu and with judicial reviews of legislative acts. the judicial branch is made up of the Constitutional Court, which consists of 12 judges, six Dutch-speaking and six French-speaking; and the supreme Court of Justice , which is organised into three chambers, each with a Dutch and a French division and each with a chairperson and five to six judges. these chambers are civil and commercial; criminal; and social, fiscal, and armed-forces.

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Constitutional Court judges are appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by parliament; judges are appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70. supreme Court judges are appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the high Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members. these judges are also appointed for life. subordinate courts are the Courts of appeal; regional courts; specialised courts for administrative, commercial, labour, and audit issues; magistrates’ courts; and justices of the peace.

Key leaders Belgium’s current head of Government and prime minister is Elio di Rupo, who took office in December 2011. He is assisted by Deputy prime ministers alexander de Croo (since october 2012); Joëlle milquet (since march 2008); Laurette onkelinx (since December 2008); Didier reynders (since December 2008); pieter de Crem (since march 2013); and Johan Vande Lanotte (since December 2011). elio Di rupo, who represents the socialist-Democrat political party, is credited with ending a crisis in Belgium’s government. When he became prime minister, he ended a 535-day period during which Belgium had been led by a caretaker government which was unable to resolve the country’s political problems. Elio di Rupo is the first French-speaker to serve as largely Flemish-speaking Belgium’s prime minister since 1979. he is also the world’s first openly gay man to lead a nation. He formerly served as minister-president of Wallonia, among many other highlevel government posts. Belgium’s regional governments are headed by minister-president of Wallonia rudy Demotte (since 2007), minister-president of the Brussels-Capital region rudi Vervoort (since may 2013), and minister-president of Flanders Kris peeters (since 2007). Governments of linguistic communities are headed by minister-president of the Flemish (Dutch-)speaking Community Kris peeters (since 2007), minister-president of the French-speaking Community rudy Demotte (since 2008), and minister-president of the German-speaking Community Karl-heinz Lambertz (since 1999).

elections the Belgian monarchy is hereditary and constitutional. the prime minister is appointed by the monarch and approved by parliament. the prime minister is traditionally the leader of the majority party or the majority coalition following legislative elections. elections for the federal legislative branch are held every four years. the last legislative elections were in June 2010 and the next will be held may 25, 2014.

Federal government ministers minister of Defence: pieter De Crem minister of Foreign affairs, Foreign trade and european affairs: Didier reynders minister of economy, Consumer affairs and north sea affairs: Johan Vande Lanotte minister of pensions: alexander De Croo minister of the interior and equal opportunities: Joëlle milquet minister of social services, public health and Culture: Laurette onkelinx minister of the middle Class, smes, self-empoyment and agriculture: sabine Laruelle minister of Justice: annemie turtelboom Minister for Budget and Administrative Simpliﬁcation: olivier Chastel minister of employment: monica De Coninck minister of public Companies, Development Cooperation and major Cities: Jean-pascal Labille minister of Finance, sustainable Development and public-sector administration: Koen Geens

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• Brussels Minister Working to Keep Capital on the Move • Europe’s Business Hub • Essential Services for Financial-Services Providers and Consumers • Summit Brings EU Business Leaders and Policy-Makers Together • What to See and Do in Brussels

Brussels-Capital Region

“Brussels offers a superb business environment, a multicultural atmosphere, all kinds of fascinating attractions and a warm welcome.” Freddy Thielemans, former Mayor of Brussels

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

BELGIUM

Brussels Minister Working to Keep Capital on the Move

Brigitte

Grouwels,

Minister

the

Government

the

Brussels-Capital Region responsible for Public Works, Transport, Regional and Communal IT and the Port of Brussels, discusses her priorities for Belgium and Flanders. European Times: What are some of your ministry’s current projects? Brigitte Grouwels: As minister I am responsible for ensuring reliable public transport, which is essential in Brussels since so many people travel into the city for work every day. We are trying to achieve a quantum leap forward for Brussels’ public-transport system. We have signed an agreement with the Brussels-Capital Region to launch an automatic metro line which will double the system’s capacity of the lines 1 and 5 by 2019. We are also extending the metro system north and towards NATO.

118

European Times: What other improvements are planned for the public-transport network? Brigitte Grouwels: We plan to purchase more buses and tram cars for delivery by 2017, since we are currently extending our bus lines and building new tramway lines. We are also working in partnership with the government of Flanders on a trans-regional tramway system, and with the federal government we are developing a rapid-transit rail system extending 30 km around Brussels. European Times: What about other forms of transport in Brussels?

Brigitte Grouwels: I am also responsible for the Port of Brussels, which can accommodate oceangoing vessels. Our harbour is home to around 350 small and mediumsized enterprises which provide direct and indirect employment to around 12,000 people. Many of these companies are in the construction sector, using materials brought to the city by ship. In fact, canal transport to Brussels cuts the number of trucks on our roads by around 730,000 per year. We are working with the regional government to foster the port’s role as a logistics hub, and the EU is supporting the development of a distribution centre at the port in a project called LAMILO, or ‘last-mile logistics’, which aims to bring goods into the city centre in a more environmentally friendly way. European Times: Can you single out some opportunities for investors? Brigitte Grouwels: We are launching a public-private partnership for the renovation of the Leopold II tunnel, which is used by at least 65,000 cars every day. We want the private-sector partner to both renovate and operate the tunnel for 25 years. We are also seeking investors for our metro-expansion project. European Times: What is your personal message about Brussels? Brigitte Grouwels: Brussels is a diverse, international, attractive city where everybody can feel at home. It is a small-scale world city with a human dimension.

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Brussels-Capital region

europe’s Dynamic multicultural Capital 6,000 european lobbies and 1,000 journalists who focus on eu affairs. thanks to this power concentration, Brussels is considered, along with Washington DC, as one of the only cities in the world that has such great international inﬂuence. Brussels is also a popular headquarter for multinationals and a top miCe tourism destination. Brussels attracted more than 5.9 million overnight tourism visits in 2011, of which 60% were business-related. Finally, Brussels has many famous monuments and sites, like the Grand place, which is ranked a unesCo World heritage site. European Times: What is Brussels doing to attract more visitors? Freddy Thielemans: We develop annual tourism themes, like last year’s ‘Brusselicious’, which promoted our gastronomy throughout the year. We also organise individual events like ‘Winter Wonders’ in December or the ‘Brussels summer Festival’ in august, which is one of the only festivals in the world set in a historic city centre. We aim to double the number of overnight tourism visits by 2020. European Times: What are some major projects now underway? Freddy Thielemans, Mayor of the city of Brussels from 2001 till 2013, discusses what makes the city unique.

European Times: How is Brussels different from other cities? Freddy Thielemans: as the capital of the eu, Brussels hosts a wide range of eu and international headquarters, including nato and the european Commission, parliament and Council. each year, at least four european summits are held in Brussels, bringing together the 27 heads of state or government representatives of the eu member states. Brussels is now the home of more than 200 eu missions, 159 embassies, 1,700 eu associations, 2,500 diplomats, 46 european and international schools, 1,400 non-government organisations,

Freddy Thielemans: the neo project will develop the heysel area in the northern part of the city into a multifunctional hub with a new convention centre, concert hall, hotel, commercial district, restaurants and bars, and a wide range of sports and leisure facilities. this project will create 3,000 jobs. We also plan to reorganise the city’s main boulevards to give shops along them a boost. in addition, we are planning major new cultural ventures like the new museum of modern art as well as innovative exhibitions like one recently held in the former home of the Brussels stock exchange. European Times: What is your personal message to our readers? Freddy Thielemans: Brussels offers a superb business environment, a multicultural atmosphere, all kinds of fascinating attractions and a warm welcome. Come visit, live and invest in Brussels, the capital of our future!

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europe’s Business hub Brussels has positioned itself as one of the worldʼs top investment targets. The city is the capital of both Belgium and the EU and an oﬃcial Belgian region in its own right. Brussels enjoys a strategic location, exceptionally skilled and multilingual human resources, transport world-class

well-developed infrastructure, business

climate

and a very high quality of life. Montgomery Square

this dynamic urban centre has created a business-friendly environment which offers a number of investment incentives and various support services for companies, from recruitment and training to logistics, financial services and R&D. The city’s one-stop shop for investors, www.investinbrussels.be, provides in-depth, up-to-date information on investment opportunities. With a population of around one million living in an area of about 162 sq km, the Brussels-Capital region is home to some 54,000 businesses, most of them smes and international companies. The region is ofﬁcially bilingual (French and Dutch, or Flemish) but in practice, Brussels is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in europe, and english as well as other languages are widely spoken.

major international decision-making hub Brussels has become a key decisionmaking centre thanks to its role as the home of the eu, nato, many other international organisations, and globally leading multinationals which have set up their european headquarters in the city. in fact, Brussels is ranked second in the world after Washington DC in its numbers of special-interest groups and non-government organisations. only an hour and a half by train from paris and just under two hours from London, Brussels offers much lower property costs than either of those cities, another reason so many companies and organisations have established their european operations there. adding to its attractions, Brussels lies within 500 km of 60% of the eu’s

total purchasing power. the city also has four research parks, three universities and 30 industrial zones, and is the world’s second-largest conference hub. Brussels is Europe’s ﬁfth-busiest inland port and the city’s international airport serves 180 destinations for passengers and 80 for cargo. thanks to its location and other advantages, Brussels is the gateway to eu markets for many companies. exports account for around 74% of the Brussels-Capital region’s GDp, with imports totalling around 73%. the Brussels-Capital region attracted 169 new FDi projects in 2012 alone compared to 153 the previous year. of these new investments, 107 were Greenﬁeld projects, one more sign that international investors see Brussels as a very high-potential base for business.

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Brussels-Capital region

summit Brings eu Business Leaders and policy-makers together The annual European Business Summit

meeting

(EBS),

place

Europeʼs for

key

business

leaders and decision-makers, attracts

participants

than

from

1,500

over

countries every year, including

European Commissioners, Prime Ministers and other leaders in

their ﬁelds. Held in Brussels, the

European Business Summit is organised by BUSINESSEUROPE and

the

Enterprises

Federation

Belgium.

EBS

2014 summit to focus on energy, industry and growth

what

the next european Business summit will be held on may 14-15, 2014, with the theme “energy, industry and Growth”. in november 2013, a launch event for the upcoming summit, “energising industrial Growth”, was held in Brussels and attended by around 180 participants. the event featured a discussion among Vagit alekperov, president of russian oil giant LuKoiL; Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director-General for enterprise and industry for the european Commission; and reinhard Bütikofer, member of parliament, Group of the Greens/european Free alliance. the focus of the debate was on reinvigorating european industry and competitiveness.

aims to give participants an understanding companies

about

want

from

policy-makers and encourages business

leaders

engage

more with EU policy-makers.

The summitʼs participants are all

European in an eﬀort to foster a pan-European dialogue.

each year’s summit has a theme designed to reﬂect current trends in Europe’s business environment. the theme of the 2013 european Business summit was “unlocking industrial opportunities: an eu strategy for Competitiveness”. Discussions focused on the re-industrialisation of europe - including services - and promoting innovation.

Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council

Vagit alekperov outlined problems for energy investors in europe and called on the european Commission

to streamline the investment process by devising a regulatory environment with fewer obstacles. Daniel Calleja Crespo noted that heavy industries have fared better than many other sectors during the european recession and called for reindustrialising europe. he added that the european Commission has set a target of 20% of the eu’s GDp to be provided by european industry by 2020. representing citizens of the eu, reinhard Bütikofer commented that europe needs to implement innovations in its entire value chain, while the Commission needs to step up its efforts to promote productivity. he also called for europe’s participation in global responses to climate change and for european industry to implement environmental-protection measures. Debates like this one illustrate the relevance of the european Business summit to business leaders, policy-makers and citizens across europe today.

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Brussels-Capital region: hub for Business and Decision-making Botanical garden, Brussels

the Brussels-Capital region is also the home of hundreds of international headquarters of scientiﬁc organisations and corporations, from healthcare multinationals and research centres to chemical associations and energy-producers. more than 13,000 people are working in research centres in Brussels, including 9,000 researchers. the region’s economy is particularly strong in cutting-edge, research-based ﬁelds, including iCt, healthcare and biotechnologies, medical equipment, and environmental technologies.

top location for corporate headquarters

Brussels is not just the capital of Belgium and the EU; it is also a global business and

political hub and a Belgian region in its own right. Some of the worldʼs most inﬂuential international

organisations

are

based

Brussels in addition to NATO, including the World

Customs

Organisation

(WCO);

the

United Nationsʼ Regional Information Centre for

Western

Development

Europe;

the

Programme;

United and

Nations

regional

oﬃces of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Health Organisation, the

International Labour Organisation, UNICEF,

UNESCO, the World Bank, the African Union, the International Organisation for Migration and others.

Brussels is one of europe’s most attractive cities as a location for corporate headquarters. in fact, the european Cities monitor, published by the international consultancy and property company Cushman & Wakefield, ranks Brussels fifth in Europe as a corporate base, behind London, Paris, Frankfurt and Barcelona. multinationals like General electric, IBM, Toyota, Microsoft, Monsanto, Pfizer and Levi Strauss & Co have set up their European or regional offices in Brussels. to continue its economic success story while also preserving its high quality of life, the Brussels-Capital region has devised the sustainable urban Growth agreement, which aims to promote environmentally friendly, long-term economic growth. in the construction sector, for example, the region is encouraging the creation and growth of companies involved in energy-saving building practices and sustainable buildings. as part of this sustainable-growth initiative, Brussels is cleaning up sites along the Brussels-Charleroi canal which have been contaminated during recent decades by highly polluting activities. Co-financed by the ERDF European Fund and the Brussels-Capital region, the Brussels Greenfields project promotes “green” development along the canal by cleaning up specific sites and supporting the creation of economic activities on these sites. in addition, the region’s administration de l’economie et de l’emploi (economy and employment service, eea) promotes sustainable economic development and job creation through a wide range of financial-assistance measures for businesses. thanks to innovative projects like these, the Brussels-Capital region is set to remain a powerful centre for business and decision-making over the coming decades.

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Brussels-Capital region

What to see and Do in Brussels Dynamic, multi-cultural Brussels oﬀers so much to see and do

that most visitors come back to the city again and again. This European crossroad is ﬁlled

with architectural landmarks,

including the famous Grand Place, a mix of 17th century architecture and modern social

life; the Gothic-style Town Hall; the Royal Palace; the majestic

Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudula; and the impudent Manneken Pis statue, a famous

symbol of the cityʼs sense of humor.

Brussels is also a paradise for shoppers, lovers of ﬁne food and drink, and anyone looking to learn more about european culture. thanks to its role as Belgium’s and the eu’s capital, Brussels is the location of major conferences year-round, and the city offers some of the most advanced business facilities and services in the world. Visitors should check out the VisitBrussels web site, available in english, which covers everything going on in the city. the Brussels Card gives visitors free or lowercost access to all kinds of attractions. VisitBrussels has chosen 10 “must see” sites for those on a short visit to Brussels. these are Bozar, an art nouveau masterpiece by architect Victor horta that was completed in 1928; atomium, built for the 1958 World exhibition in the shape of an elementary iron crystal enlarged 165

Grand Place, Brussels

billion times; the magritte museum, honouring one of the city’s most famous artists; the natural sciences museum, with its great iguanodons of Bernissart exhibit; mini-europe, near the atomium, where you can take a tour of europe in a few short hours; the Comic strip museum, honouring hergé and other comic-strip artists from Belgium and beyond; the new parlamentarium, where visitors can explore the fascinating world of the european parliament; and océade, a popular water park open all year. also on VisitBrussels’ top 10 list are the royal museum of army and military history, one of the world’s biggest military museums; the art and history

museum, which has displays on archeology, antiquity, non-european civilisations and european decorative arts; the musical instruments museum, one of the world’s biggest collections of musical instruments; Bellevue, a museum showcasing Belgium’s long and eventful history; Brussels town hall, one of Belgium’s ﬁnest civic buildings; and Flagey, an enormous ocean liner turned into a centre for cultural and technological innovation which includes studio 4, famous for its unique acoustics. Visitors should be sure to sample some of Belgium’s great beers and chocolates and take the time to stroll around this colourful city which is truly a microcosm of europe.

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horeCa association Boosting Brussels’ tourism appeal As

the

capital

Europe

and one of the worldʼs most sophisticated,

international

cities, Brussels has long had

a thriving hotels, restaurants and cafés (HORECA) sector. HORECA in

1938,

Brussels, brings

founded

together

3,750 member organisations (including around 100 hotels)

working to maintain the cityʼs

competitive advantages as a favourite tourism and leisure destination.

Yvan

Roque,

President discusses HORECAʼs priorities and projects.

Yvan Roque, President HORECA

European Times: What HORECA’s main activities?

are

Yvan Roque: We defend our members’ interests and strive to create employment in our sector. one of our big successes was the reduction of Vat on food services from 21% to 12%. We have also managed to

124

increase the number of jobs in our sector. We provide legal services for our members and we are involved in regular negotiations with the government concerning employee benefits and other social and economic issues. We partner with aXa to provide tailor-made insurance packages for the horeCa sector and we work with

the theeuropean europeantimes times

Brussels-Capital region

seCureX, a human-resources specialist. We also offer investments and loans through a banking partnership. We recently launched an ambitious project to help all horeCa workers purchase their own homes. in other words, we are always ready to assist any of our members with any issues.

“We want Brussels to have 10 million visitors per year instead of the current six million, and not ten years from now, but NOW!”

oasis in the heart of Brussels The Husa President Park Hotel in Brussels,

part of the well-known Husa Hotel Group headquartered in Spain, is an ideal choice for visitors to the EUʼs capital.

European Times: What role does the HORECA sector play in the economy of Brussels? Yvan Roque: our mission is to make sure our customers have good experiences in Brussels. service is the priority for our sector. We are constantly working to ensure high-quality services and to make sure horeCa businesses have enough staff to provide good service. a second priority for our sector is to enhance Brussels’ nightlife offerings. We believe that a modern city should be open day and night for its visitors. We also want to encourage more luxury shopping opportunities in the city. all these efforts will make Brussels more attractive to visitors as well as create new jobs. European Times: What about marketing the city’s attractions? Yvan Roque: We need to promote the city ten times more than we do now! We want Brussels to have 10 million visitors per year instead of the current six million, and not ten years from now, but noW! By promoting Brussels, the eu’s power centre, we are also promoting Belgium. European Times: What is your personal message to potential visitors? Yvan Roque: everyone should visit the capital of europe at least once in their lives!

miquel netto, General manager and Director of husa international hotels, explains, “the husa president park hotel is the only hotel in downtown Brussels that can offer 2,000 sq m of meeting rooms along with a 3,000-sq-m garden where we often host barbeques and team-building events in summer. We also have a bar with live music in the garden, making it a real oasis in the heart of the city.” the husa president park hotel offers fast Wi-Fi connections and is europe’s first hotel to provide in-room i-pads (in 35 guestrooms). Defining the hotel’s competitive edge among the executive travellers who make up the majority of its guests, miquel netto says, “We make sure our service level is always high and we focus on adding value. Business guests are looking for a great shower, a great bed and a great breakfast, and we never compromise on factors like these. our motto is service with a personal touch. We have a multilingual staff who makes sure our customers feel at home.” Boulevard du Roi Albert II 44 - 1000 Brussels Tel: +32 2 203 2020 info.president@husa.es - www.husapresidentpark.com

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LEOPOLD

Brasserie

Contemporary Cuisine Based on Fine natural ingredients

unique Country-Cottage atmosphere and Four-star service

A restaurant named for its address would be hard

The

also memorable for its inventive modern cuisine,

services in the heart of Brussels for 35 years. Ideally

to forget in any case, but 362 Avenue Louise is

distinctive décor and open-kitchen dining room.

four-star,

Brussels

family-owned

has

been

Leopold

providing

Hotel

top-quality

located near the EU Commission and EU Parliament headquarters, the Leopold Hotel has 111 rooms and has a charming brasserie restaurant, a convivial bar and six well-equipped meeting rooms.

the restaurant opened in 2012 and has won a loyal following for its French cuisine with an oriental touch. owner philippe Leclercq explains, “my wife and i once owned a photography store but decided to buy this restaurant last year. my wife is responsible for the interior decoration, which features our own art collection. We have created a chic, contemporary environment where our guests can enjoy their meals.” The restaurant seats 55 guests on two ﬂoors, and all diners have a view of the very modern open kitchen. 362 avenue Louise is a favourite among executives at lunch, where service is rapid to suit people on schedules, but in the evening diners tend to linger over their meals. Deﬁning what makes his restaurant’s food special, philippe Leclercq says, “We specialise in simple, natural dishes based on high-quality, fresh ingredients, like sea bass and aubrac beef.” as for the restaurant’s very original name, he adds, “We could not decide on a name, so i suggested the address as a joke, and it stuck.” Ave. Louise 362 - 1050 Brussels Tel: +32 2 648 3048 info@362avenuelouise.be - www.362avenuelouise.be

General manager richard Gale explains, “our hotel is proudly independent and has the kind of character you cannot ﬁnd in chain hotels. We are completing a renovation programme to further enhance our services. the Leopold hotel is a welcoming, cottage-style hotel in the centre of Brussels. every guestroom has its own décor, and all have high-speed Wi-Fi internet connection and a ﬂat-screen TV with 100 international channels.” the Leopold hotel attracts government leaders, executives and tourists from all over the world. around 50% of the hotel’s guests are repeat visitors, which shows that the Leopold hotel’s truly personalised service provided by dedicated multilingual staff members is just what guests are looking for. richard Gale adds, “Brussels is the place to be for those who want to do business on a european scale, and we want the Leopold hotel to be a true home away from home for our guests. We go the extra mile.” Luxemburgstraat 35, 1050 Brussels Tel: +32 2 511 1828 - reservations@hotel-leopold.be www.hotel-leopold.be - www.brasserie-leopold.be

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Brussels-Capital region

a taste of the real Belgium in Famed Family-owned restaurant Le Bugatti has been serving

word-of-mouth advertising continues to be a main source of new customers.

cuisine in Brussels since 1988.

Labour of love

high-quality, authentic Belgian The

family-run

restaurant,

which seats a maximum of

70 people, has earned a loyal following.

owners Caroline trehet and manu Caekelberghs say, “one of our typical dishes is classic Belgian beef stew made in the old-fashioned way with the best beef (cheek of ox), trappist dark beer (Chimay) and fresh vegetables. everything we serve is home-made, from a to Z. We have some customers who have been coming to the restaurant for over 20 years, and they are used to our high quality.” While Le Bugatti is not located in one of Brussels’ main tourist areas, diners seek it out for its reliable quality and also because its traditional Belgian dishes have become harder to ﬁnd in the city today. Caroline

trehet says, “Brussels has a lot of French, asian, italian and other types of restaurants but not so many good and authentic Belgian restaurants. this restaurant is not easy to ﬁnd but people hear about us from friends or learn about us online.” Le Bugatti is on Facebook and twitter and is ranked number one among 50 Brussels (ixelles) restaurants on trip advisor, but

Le Bugatti is a true labour of love for Caroline trehet and manu Caekelberghs. she says, “normally it’s just the two of us working here but sometimes we call in someone from the family to help out. We manage everything ourselves, which is a lot of work but we like it. this restaurant is our second home and when we prepare meals for our customers, we think of them as our guests. our goal is to please our customers.” the trehetCaekelberghs make sure Le Bugatti offers a satisfying dining experience in every way, from the warm welcome and splendid authentic art nouveau decor to the food on the plate. the most popular dishes on Le Bugatti’s menu are beef stew, rabbit stew, Jumbo size mussels from Zeeland, white asparagus from malines, and meat balls in tomato sauce, all served with fresh French fries still fried in ox fat (not oil). manu Caekelberghs says, “What our customers appreciate the most here are our well-prepared simple dishes, like tomato stuffed with north sea grey shrimp and homemade mayonnaise. We are dedicated to offering the same high quality, every day, at every meal, and to continuing to improve our quality.” they urge visitors to Brussels to dine at Le Bugatti. Caroline trehet says, “We serve simple and homemade food, but it is very, very good, and authentically Belgian.” 4 rue Jacques Jordaens, 1000 Brussels Tel: + 32 2 646 1417 lebugatti@gmail.com www.lebugatti.be - www.lebugatti.eu

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• Impressive Track Record for Education System • Exceptional Choice for Business and Tourism • Flanders: Your Business Base in Europe

Flanders

“It is the ambition of Flanders to continually strengthen the economic ﬁbre of our region. People, know-how and connectivity are the three factors that make a difference.” Kris Peeters, Minister-President of the Government of Flanders

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Flanders

Flanders minister-president highlights innovation European Times: How does the Flemish region support innovation in SMEs? Kris Peeters: smes are the engine that drives our innovation, and so we support innovation in smes both directly and indirectly. We support smes up to 80% for their innovation projects. the Flanders region indirectly supports innovation in smes by establishing competence centres which work handin-hand with institutions of higher learning, such as FisCh (for chemistry), Flanders Drive (the automotive sector), FmtC (mechatronics), and Flanders’ Food (nutrition). European Times: Will Flanders continue to support SMEs? Kris Peeters: i am certainly a fan of smes. Belgium remains entrepreneurial and still has many small businesses, including family-owned ones. Flanders has attracted many multinationals, for example Bayer and BasF in the chemicals industry, but we have always had smaller companies and the emphasis in the future will be more on smes, since we see them as true drivers of the economy. i understand that Flanders’ economic growth in 2014 could be 1.2%, which will stimulate the creation of more smes. i have launched a programme with the banking industry to provide €1.1 billion in funding for smes. We also need to emphasise training of entrepreneurs so that they can make their businesses successful. and, we are working to stimulate the creation of smes in sectors with high added value. Kris

Peeters,

Minister-President

the

Government of Flanders, discusses the regionʼs accomplishments and potential.

European Times: Why is Flanders often described as a land of innovation? Kris Peeters: the Flemish region has a history of innovation. in 2010, according to eurostat, 62% of Flemish companies were classiﬁed as innovative, which placed Flanders third in europe after Germany and Luxembourg. Flanders also budgets 2.4% of its GDP for R&D investment, which is more than the eu average.

European Times: What is your personal message to our readers? Kris Peters: it is the ambition of Flanders to continually strengthen the economic fibre of our region. People, know-how and connectivity are the three factors that make a difference. the combination of a strongly focused research-and-innovation programme, a highly educated and productive workforce with fluency in several languages, and a highly developed transport and communications infrastructure combine to ensure sustainable growth. With the policies we are undertaking for the period up to 2020, which can be reviewed on www.flandersinaction.be, Flanders will be among the top five regions in europe as well as europe’s best business location.

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Flanders offers exceptional Business environment competencies and talents rather than on diplomas and CVs. We have created a pioneering employment data bank in which jobs are described by the skills they require, not by which degrees people must have. We also match talents with available employment opportunities, even if these are not in the same sector where the person has already worked. We do everything we can to bring investors here, including supporting companies’ training programmes for employees. We also provide incentives for employers to hire people over age 50. some employers fear that older employees will cost them more in medical expenses and that older workers cannot learn new skills. We want to change these ideas. European Times: What kinds of companies do you think will beneﬁt most from investing in Flanders? Philippe Muyters: Companies which need a very productive labour force, a central european location, a huge consumer market and a commitment to producing highquality products will do very well in Flanders. Companies only looking to cut labour costs will not beneﬁt from being here. Jansen pharmaceuticals and Johnson and Johnson are two examples of highly innovative, successful companies in Flanders. inmake in Leuven is another example; it does research and development for companies all over the world. Phillipe Muyters, Flandersʼ Minister of Finance, Budget, Labour, City and Rural Planning and Sport, discusses current projects and goals.

European Times: Why should investors target Flanders?

international

Philippe Muyters: Flanders is at the centre of europe, with a huge consumer market, well-developed transport infrastructure, the second-biggest chemicals cluster in the world in antwerp, and very highly skilled human resources. Flanders has a balanced budget and a very good system of matching supply and demand in the labour market. Concerning employment, we are focusing more and more on

130

European Times: Since becoming minister, what accomplishments are you most proud of ? Philippe Muyters: i am proud that we have balanced our budget. also, i changed the permit system for city planning to make the process faster, cheaper and more performant as well as completely digital. i am also very proud of our innovative new employment data base which focuses on necessary skills. Concerning sports, we have a great record in instituting policies to control doping. European Times: What is your personal message to our readers? Philippe Muyters: Flanders is a great place to live, work and invest in, and we welcome foreign investors.

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Flanders

impressive track record for education system higher education. the maximum fee to enroll in a university is €600, and we offer student grants if necessary. in addition, in 2008 we implemented a credit system which gives students more flexibility. European Times: What are some challenges the higher-education system faces? Pascal Smet: With increasing diversity, we are seeing more students with language difficulties. To cope with this, we are planning to focus more on learning Dutch in secondary schools to handle any problems proactively. We are also planning to reform our secondary-education system, because even though we are second in europe, there is always room for improvement. We aim to orient more students towards math and the sciences and to step up our orientation programs. an advantage we have in Flanders is that we keep investing in education despite of the difficult budgetary situation. Even our private schools, which make up 70% of the total, receive Flemish government funding. We also give considerable autonomy to our schools and we set our standards high. European Times: What are your goals for the education system in the coming three years?

Pascal Smet, Flemish Minister of Education, Youth, Equal Opportunities, and Brussels

Aﬀairs, discusses the Flemish education sector. European Times: How are Flemish students performing? Pascal Smet: the Flemish region has a higher number of students attending higher-education institutions than the european average, and for many years our students have ranked second in europe on the pisa test, which tests 15-year-olds on their literacy and knowledge of math and science. the reasons for this success are that we have a very strong secondary-education system and a very open access to

Pascal Smet: We are investing around €225 million up to 2025 in higher-education programs, both academic and non-academic. We also want to encourage student mobility, for example through the erasmus programme, and to have one out of three students study abroad. i also want to see more of our students from migration families study in higher-education institutions so that we can take advantage of this talent pool. We have also instituted a program where students can get a master’s degree in Flanders completely in english, and beginning in september 2014 our schools can offer classes in French, english or German, up to 20% of the total program. European Times: What is your personal message about Flanders’ education sector? Pascal Smet: the Flemish education system is of very high quality and open, and is becoming more and more international.

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Flanders Focuses on innovation drive, the FisCh initiative for sustainable chemistry was launched in 2012.

Well-developed research network

Flanders is one of the top ﬁve regions in the EU for knowledge

and innovation, according to the EUʼs Community Research and

Development Information Services (CORDIS). In line with the EU 2020 strategy to raise investment in R&D to 3% of the EUʼs GDP by 2020, Flanders strongly supports scientiﬁc research.

The region invested €4.3 billion in R&D in 2010 alone, which is around 2% above the EU average. Of this total, €2.8 billion came from the private sector.

Flanders now accounts for almost twothirds of Belgium’s total R&D expenditures. the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors lead R&D investment in Flanders so far but other sectors are also the focus of signiﬁcant R&D spending, including transport and logistics, e-health services, biotechnology, healthcare, foods, new materials, nanotechnology, iCt, energy and the environment. Flanders has also increased its patent applications, particularly concerning chemicals, pharmaceuticals and polymers. the government of Flanders has adopted a number of policies to

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encourage R&D investment. Priorities are bringing new developments to the marketplace, promoting creative and innovative entrepreneurship, creating economic clusters to foster productive exchange, promoting globalisation, strengthening interdisciplinary research, providing more opportunities for talented researchers, establishing streamlined and output-driven research policies, and implementing world-class research infrastructure. the government of Flanders has also adopted a new industrial policy that focuses on improving industrial productivity through knowledge. as part of this

Flanders has a well-developed research network which includes universities, advanced institutes and sector-speciﬁc R&D centres. Highly successful R&D initiatives in Flanders are globally recognised imeC (interuniversity-micro electronics Centre), Vito (focusing on materials, energy and environmental research), ViB (Flanders interuniversity institute for Biotechnology) and iBBt (Broadband technology Centre), along with many others. New R&D centres have recently been launched in materials, medical innovation and neuro-electronics, among other cutting-edge ﬁelds. the government of Flanders supports competence clusters such as DriVe (for the automotive industry), ViL (Flanders institute for Logistics), FmtC (Flanders mechatronics technology Centre) and Flanders Food. the Flanders District of Creativity is a pole for cultural and creative industries. Flanders plays a key role in the european research area programme and is involved in hundreds of european research partnerships, particularly in iCt, nanotechnology and healthcare. Flanders also participates in the eurostars, aaL (ambient assisted Living), artemis (embedded intelligence and systems), eniaC (nanotechnology), imi (innovative medicines initiative), eureKa and other initiatives. Flanders will continue to serve as a leading eu and international hub for R&D over the coming decades.

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Flanders

exceptional Choice for Business and tourism Flanders, a true European crossroads

where

Bruges

Anglo-

Saxon, Roman and Germanic

cultures have come together for centuries, is an ideal destination

for

both

tourists and investors. This Dutch-speaking part

Belgium

exceptional a

welcoming

northern features

infrastructure,

environment

for business, and a dynamic

blend of traditional culture

and cutting-edge innovation.

Flanders borders France to

the west, the Netherlands to the north and east, and BelgiumĘźs

French-speaking

Wallonia to the south. The Brussels-Capital

Region

located within Flanders.

Flanders is made up of ďŹ ve provinces, each with its own tourism and business appeal. these are antwerp, whose capital is the city of antwerp; Limburg, whose capital is hasselt; east Flanders, whose capital is Ghent; West Flanders, whose capital is Bruges; and Flemish Brabant, whose capital is Leuven. Flanders has a long history as a global trade hub and cultural centre. During

the late middle ages, Flandersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trading towns (mainly Ghent, Bruges and Ypres) made the region one of the richest and most urbanised in europe. this wealth financed great architectural creations as well as a vibrant culture that rivaled those of italy and France. in the 19th and early 20th century, Flanders was slower to industrialise than Wallonia and became known as the poorer

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part of Belgium. By the second half of the twentieth century, however, Flanders had come into its own thanks to a focus on education, research and innovation. today, Flanders is Belgium’s most prosperous region.

open, multicultural environment With a history of welcoming people from all over the world, Flanders has developed a very open, investorfriendly economy and a very international culture. Cities in Flanders are some of the most dynamic, multicultural and forward-thinking in the world. they include Brussels, the capital of Belgium and of europe, where the Flemish government and parliament are also located; Bruges, known as “the Venice of the north” for its many canals and elegant architecture; antwerp, with a great port that is one of the busiest in the world as well as an exciting fashion and cultural scene; Ghent, with its inland waterways and fabulous architecture; Leuven, home of one of europe’s oldest universities, Ku Leuven, as well as some of the most innovative research activities on the planet; and mechelen, a small, picturesque city where people come from all over the world to learn how to play church bells. these “art” cities are just one reason to visit or do business in Flanders.

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Flanders: Your Business Base in europe Port of Antwerp

From diamonds to automobiles, pharmaceuticals, cutting-edge ICT and much more, Flanders is the source

of some of the worldʼs most innovative and exceptional products. Known for centuries for its expertise in many ﬁelds and for its prominence in global trade, todayʼs

Flanders has positioned itself as an ideal base for business. Leuven

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Flanders sector

one of Flanders’ advantages is its location, within easy reach of paris, London, the ruhr area, and amsterdam-randstad, and within 500 km of 60% of europe’s total purchasing power. it is not surprising that Belgium is one of the world’s top 10 exporters and one of the top importers, and Flanders accounts for more than 80% of Belgium’s international trade. adding to its advantages for investors, Flanders has implemented a very business-friendly tax regime. many tax breaks and financial grants are available, including for research and development as well as pension funds. the Belgian notional-interest Deduction (niD) is one example. through the niD, companies using their own capital to finance their activities can lower their effective corporate tax rate to an average of 26.3%, and expert tax advice is widely available. in addition, the local government readily partners with the private sector to ensure business success. thanks to these

Volvo Ghent

policies, Flanders offers one of the lowest effective tax rates in the eu.

Focus on innovation innovation also sets Flanders apart from other investment destinations.

TOP 10 FLEMISH Export products 2012 (in eur billion and as % of total) Chemicals

imeC in Flanders is europe’s leading research centre for nanoelectronics and nanotechnology; Vi B is a world-class centre for life-sciences expertise;Vi to is committed to technological research and consulting for product innovation and improved levels of business; and iminds is Flanders’ research institute for tomorrow’s iCt.

14.6%

mineral products

12.3%

machines and equipment

10.7%

Vehicles

10.4%

pharmaceuticals

9.0%

plastics

8.5%

Base metals

7.3%

Diamonds

Biggest chemicals cluster in europe

6.2%

Food and Drinks

4.7%

textiles

3.1% 01

Flanders has established a global reputation for its advanced research and focus on creativity. Flanders is the home of cutting-edge research in biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, nanotechnologies, “green” technologies and more. investors in biotech in Flanders, for example, include Biocartis, Galapagos, thromboGenics, Ablynx, Pronota and other ﬁrms known for innovation.

sourCe: national accounts institute (national Bank of Belgium), community concept

in the chemicals industry, antwerp is the home of the biggest chemicals cluster in europe and the second-largest in the world. One satisﬁed foreign investor in antwerp’s chemicals sector

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have designed cars for iconic names like alfa romeo, BmW, Volkswagen, Lamborghini, seat, Ferrari, maserati, skoda and Bentley. emrald resilient tyre manufacturers of india set up its european distribution centre in Zeebrugge. Ceo V. Krishnaram says, “after visiting Flanders with Flanders investment & Trade, we decided Zeebrugge was the perfect setting for the expansion of our distribution centre. We are conﬁdent that this location will be a powerful instrument for our company to establish itself strongly in the european market.” tej soni, president, izmocars of india, adds, “Flanders simply breathes cars!”

Green, clean energy

EnergyVille Genk

is us Company FrX polymers. mark Lebel, Ceo, explains, “after considering different options, antwerp emerged as the perfect location. the positive investment conditions and the strong industrial policy of the government of Flanders were certainly decisive. Furthermore, we quickly learned about the advantages of antwerp as the second-largest chemical cluster in the world, and its assets as a major european port.”

audio/video and printing solutions, and software products. Flanders has earned a global reputation for its expertise in nanoelectronics, nanotechnology and microelectronics, and is a pioneer in ﬁnancial-security solutions and smartcard technology. on top of all this, according to a report by us-based service-provider akamai, Flanders has the tenth-fastest broadband connections in the world.

tomorrow’s iCt

in the auto industry, Flanders is a long-time global leader. the region serves as the european gateway for automotive companies from all over the world, and Flanders’ port of Zeebrugge handles more than three million cars every year. thanks to local expertise in manufacturing vehicles and components and providing related services, most of the world’s leading car manufacturers have set up operations in Flanders, including audi, Volvo, toyota, mazda and honda.

iCt innovations coming out of Flanders range from nanotechnology, banking solutions, telematics and geo-iCt, telecoms and network equipment, digital

Flanders has also produced some of the most prominent car designers, including Dirk van Braeckel, Lowie Vermeersch and pierre Leclercq. they

in addition to its port, antwerp has five oil refineries and four steamcrackers and is the home of more than 500 chemicals companies working with over 300 different chemicals. a state-of-the-art pipeline network in the port area facilitates product interchange.

Another ﬁeld in which Flanders has established a worldwide reputation is renewable energy. the region is the home of a wide range of innovative clean-tech initiatives which focus on knowledge-acquisition and knowledgesharing. three clean-tech clusters and incubators in Flanders are Greenbridge science park in ostend, which specialises in renewable energy; Ghent Bio-energy Valley, Europe’s ﬁrst open innovation and education centre for a bio-based economy; and energyVille in Genk, with its expertise in renewable energy, smart grids and sustainable cities. sustainable-energy projects in Flanders include off-shore wind- and waveenergy initiatives which are set to produce 42 GW of power by 2020; the sustainable chemistry and valorisation of solid waste and waste gasses in antwerp; and the testing of 600 electrical vehicles by eight research centres and 51 companies, making Flanders a living lab for sustainable mobility. Flanders is, in fact, one of the most innovative regions in europe, according to the

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Flanders

multilingual, and labour productivity is exceptionally high, around 25% above the eu average in 2012.

Low cost of living, high quality of life another reason to base a business in Flanders is that it offers a winning combination of low costs of living and high quality of life. apartment rentals in Brussels, for example, are much lower than rentals for comparable apartments in paris or London. the educational and healthcare systems in Flanders are world-class and the region offers a wealth of cultural, shopping, dining and entertainment venues. european Commission’s 2012 regional innovation scoreboard. to support innovation, the government of Flanders awards generous grants and subsidies (up to 75%) for R&D concerning innovative products and processes, including support for R&D staff. In fact, according to US-based professional services ﬁrm Deloitte, Flanders offers the best R&Drelated incentives in europe. iWt, the region’s government agency promoting “innovation by science and technology”, operates a one-stopshop for non-refundable grants in direct support of R&D programs. Many private investors and well-capitalised venturecapital funds are ready to invest in the region’s promising life-sciences projects.

top logistics hub thanks to its location and other advantages, Flanders has become a top logistics hub. With more than 800 european distribution centres (averaging more than ﬁve per 100 sq km), Flanders boasts the highest european-distributioncentre density in europe. the region is also ranked seventh in the world in

the World Bank’s 2012 Logistics performance index, and Flanders has some of the most highly developed transport infrastructure on the planet. Just a few of the multinationals distributing their products from Flanders include Bose, Duracell, honda, mazda, nike, Pﬁzer, Procter & Gamble, Samsonite, Sara Lee, SKF, Stanley Black & Decker, Toyota and Volvo. the seaports of antwerp, Zeebrugge, Ghent and ostend are not congested and space for logistics operations is readily available at prices that averaged less than €60 per sq m in 2012.

exceptional, multilingual human resources exceptional multilingual human resources also draw foreign investors to Flanders. the region’s educational system was ranked ﬁfth in the world in the World economic Forum’s “Global Competitiveness report 2012-2013”, and third in the world for math and science. Flanders also has three topranked universities (in Leuven /Louvain, Ghent and antwerp) and many international schools. most local residents are

Flanders is well on the way to reaching its goal of being the fifth-most-important region in europe by 2020. the region’s new industrial policy highlights rapid modernisation of industry, related services and the social fabric through value-creation, productivity and flexibility. Flanders has established the transformation, innovation and acceleration (tina) fund and has created a cluster policy, streamlined paperwork for business creation, and placed even more emphasis on infrastructure development and sustainability. Foreign investors can count on proactive support from various industrial clusters in Flanders. Flanders Investment & Trade is the ideal local partner for foreign investors in Flanders. the organisation provides potential investors with assistance and information regarding site selection, tax benefits, financial grants and incentives, and meetings with local decision-makers. Flanders Investment & Trade also has more than 70 offices worldwide. Flanders definitely rolls out the welcome mat for foreign investors and offers outstanding opportunities in all kinds of sectors.

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essential support for Flanders’ auto industry Flandersʼ DRIVE (www.ﬂandersdrive.be) is an

internationally recognised research institute supporting the innovation needs of the Flemish vehicle industry. Its mission is to play a leading

part in the transformation through innovation of

the vehicle industry in Flanders towards a green and smart mobility industry. It collaborates with

companies and other research institutions on applied research and develops technological

solutions that contribute to a strong Flemish manufacturing industry.

in Flanders, Flanders’ DriVe works closely together with over 140 full and associate partners. together they focus on application-oriented research and develop technological solutions fulﬁlling the requirements of the industry. Flanders’ DriVe disposes of state-of-the-art research and test facilities that are located next to the test tracks of the Ford Lommel proving Ground. on an international level, Flanders’ DriVe works together with, among others, the research centres of car manufacturers and participates in european research projects and advisory boards. renilde Craps, General Director of Flanders’ DriVe explains the main activities of the research centre: “By closely monitoring the latest trends and supported by a broad international network of companies and research institutions, we have a good understanding of emerging technological domains in which Flemish companies can play a role on an international level as well as of the associated innovation needs. We encourage open innovation and set up research projects in collaboration with leading Flemish companies, smes and other research institutes and with ﬁnancial support from the Flemish government. together, we develop technology and expertise, which the project partners can valorise on an international scale. We also enable them to participate in european projects.

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Renilde Craps, General Director of Flandersʼ DRIVE

For example, in the electric powertrain project we designed and developed, together with 12 leading Flemish companies, a power train for the next generation of electric vehicles and validated it in a range rover evoque. the evoque is now being used as a research platform in the european Fp7 project “e-VeCtoorC”, in which we are optimising the dynamic driving behaviour and the vehicle’s driving comfort. together with both Flemish and international partners we are aiming for a clean and energy-efﬁcient four-wheel drive. Flanders’ DriVe also supports individual companies in their innovations. We also share our knowledge and facilitate contacts and cooperation between companies through a variety of local and international initiatives such as seminars and networking events.” this way, Flanders’ DriVe aims to give Flemish companies in the vehicle and mobility industry a strong boost towards innovation, growth, job creation and improved worldwide competitive strength. More information on: www.ﬂandersdrive.be

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province of Flemish Brabant

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Leuven: strong synergy between City and university business. one example is our recent decision to launch an international primary school. We want Leuven to be a very attractive choice as a location for innovative companies. European Times: What are Leuven’s key advantages as a base for research and business? Louis Tobback: in addition to being only 15 minutes from Brussels’ international airport via the city rail system, Leuven is an ideal choice for knowledge-based activities, thanks to our university, which employs 17,000 people. this is not the right place for something like a huge auto-assembly plant; Leuven’s economy is built more on knowledge. there is great synergy between the city and the university, and we aim to keep it that way. Leuven also offers a high quality of life and a very international atmosphere, with around 150 nationalities represented. European Times: What about Leuven’s relationship to other cities in Flanders?

Louis Tobback, Mayor of Leuven since 1995,

discusses his cityʼs advantages as a location for business and R&D.

European Times: How has Leuven changed since you became Mayor in 1995? Louis Tobback: Leuven has changed in many ways, particularly as a result of the collaboration between the city’s government and the university of Leuven, which opened in the 1995-1996 school year. We have focused on linking scientific research with the business sector, and our R&D activities have increased significantly as a result. the city acts as a facilitator and catalyst by providing the right environment for research and

Louis Tobback: all cities in the region are different from each other, which is one of the charms of Belgium! Leuven is probably most like Ghent, since we have so many students. Flanders has many cities, and all of them must work together to promote the development of Flanders as a whole. European Times: How has Leuven been affected by the global economic crisis? Louis Tobback: the city’s economy remains stable. While the growth rate is not what it was 10 years ago, we are confident that it will increase. Leuven is in a better position to handle the crisis than many other cities are. We are being very careful in planning our future investments. European Times: What is your personal message about your city? Louis Tobback: Leuven offers all the benefits of Brussels and more, without any of the drawbacks.

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Flanders - province of Flemish Brabant

prestigious university Fosters innovation-Driven economy KU Leuven, one of Europeʼs oldest and most prestigious universities, has been focusing on research as well as education for the past

four decades. Today, KU Leuven oﬀers outstanding opportunities for students, researchers and partners from all over the world. Koen Debackere, managing Director of the university and executive Director of KU Leuven Research & Development, explains that Ku Leuven has attracted an exceptional international faculty and is well known globally for its research activities. he says, “Ku Leuven is responsible for around 45% of all fundamental research activity in Flanders.” Ku Leuven also serves as a benchmark in Belgium for productive partnerships between university researchers and the private sector. Ku Leuven research & Development (LRD), the university’s knowledge and technology transfer ofﬁce, launched in the 1970s, fosters collaboration with local and international companies, a strong patent portfolio and the creation of spin-off enterprises. Koen Debackere points out, “Ku Leuven is one of the founding members of the League of european research universities (Leru) thanks to its focus on research and innovation that has paralleled the

university’s focus on education since the middle ages.” today, largely thanks to the university, over 300 high-tech enterprises are based in Leuven and around 4,000 people are employed in around 140 spin-off companies. the university hospitals and imec, a world-leading nanoelectronics research centre, are other important factors Ku Leuven has brought to the city and its residents. “Ku Leuven has created an innovation-driven economy here,” Koen Debackere says.

Top ﬁve among Europe’s research-oriented universities KU Leuven is ranked the number ﬁve institution in europe for participating in european framework projects, after oxford, Cambridge, imperial College London and eth Zurich. the university has an outstanding intellectual-property portfolio. Koen Debackere says, “We have around 600 active patent families and are working with over 2,000 companies. We have a licensing portfolio of around €63.2 million in annual income.”the university has also been involved in around 2,000 collaborations with private-sector companies in Flanders over the past year alone. innovations resulting from partnerships with Ku Leuven include samsonite’s

Koen Debackere, Managing Director of KU Leuven and Executive Director of KU Leuven Research & Development.

ultra-light suitcases; algorithms and technology for Cochlear, a global leader in hearing devices; support for the spin-off Lms, which is a leader in its niche of the auto industry; and a new recipe for uncle Ben’s 10-minute rice. Ku Leuven also partners with universities worldwide and welcomes more partnerships, including with us institutions. Koen Debackere says, “our focus on innovation and research, our quality education, and our city’s strategic location and openness to creativity are reasons Ku Leuven will continue to be a leader.” KU Leuven Research & Development Waaistraat 6 – box 5105, 3000 Leuven Tel: +32 16 3 26500 fax +32 16 3 26515 lrd@kuleuven.be www.kuleuven.be, lrd.kuleuven.be

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Lms’ test and mechatronic simulation solutions enable the auto, aero, and mechanical industries to engineer tomorrow’s market-leading products Since its start as one of the ﬁrst high-tech spin-oﬀs of the Catholic University of Leuven (KULeuven), LMS has developed into a market

leader with test and mechatronic simulation solutions, enabling companies worldwide to innovate products that meet increasing

environmental regulations while at the same time delivering brand performance to stay competitive in the marketplace. Over 5,000

leading automotive, aerospace and other high-tech manufacturers

count on LMS solutions to manage modern-day product development complexity and get the best-possible products to market faster. Lms has created its success based on a track record of delivering the most innovative solutions by combining an understanding of customer requirements, market trends and advanced technological knowledge. today, Lms employs 1,250 dedicated and passionate people, working from more than 40 ofﬁces worldwide. since 2013, Lms is part of siemens pLm software, a market leader with solutions for product Life Cycle management (pLm).

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Lms will take the lead by further innovating and developing software solutions for product and systems validation and veriﬁcation, based on test and simulation, to enable “closed-loop systemsdriven product development”. Whether it is cars, airplanes, appliances, or manufacturing equipment, engineering challenges today evolve around delivering products where mechanical design is combined with controls engineering, adopting principles of systems engineering, to deliver products that meet

the ever stricter environmental regulations while at the same time having the necessary brand performance to stay competitive in the marketplace.“From our revolutionary solutions for testbased engineering to today’s closedloop, systems-driven product development solutions, Lms has always believed in the next big idea. this is why Lms continues to help customers dream of a world of new possibilities as early as possible in the product development process. trying out new ideas and concepts without slowing down the market-critical design and development schedule will revolutionize the way engineers and designers create innovative new products. it is rewarding to think that all the work we do at Lms, headquartered in Leuven, helps surprise and delight people around the world,” said Dr. Jan Leuridan, Ceo. LMS International Researchpark Haasrode 1237 Interleuvenlaan 68 - 3001 Leuven Tel: +32 16 38 4200 info@lmsintl.com - www.lmsintl.com

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Flanders - province of Flemish Brabant

Vilvoorde: Belgium’s FastestGrowing municipality Hans Bonte, Mayor of Vilvoorde

former prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene lives in one of Vilvoorde’s exclusive districts near the canal.

thriving economy, many tourist attractions For tourists, the municipality offers parks and gardens, historic churches and a basilica, boat rides on a picturesque canal, and many ﬁne restaurants, including ones serving the local specialty, horsemeat steaks. in fact, the nickname for residents of Vilvoorde is “pjeirrefretters”, or horsemeat-eaters.

Vilvoorde, located in Flemish Brabant, is ranked Belgiumʼs fastest-growing municipality. It includes the city of Vilvoorde, the Koningslo and Houtem suburban neighbourhoods, and the small town of Peutie. mayor hans Bonte points out that Vilvoorde’s location is a definite advantage. he says, “Vilvoorde is just 10 minutes from Brussels but offers a more relaxed way of life than one can find in the hustle and bustle of the capital. it is also served by Zaventem airport, which offers connections all over europe. You can have lunch in Vilvoorde, fly to London to see a play, and then be back in Vilvoorde

by the evening.” the mayor adds that Vilvoorde is home to a number of nationalities, with residents from spain, morocco, turkey, macedonia and portugal as well as native Belgians. Vilvoorde is a popular choice as a residence thanks to its variety of properties, from affordable options to very luxurious accommodations. Belgian’s

Vilvoorde has a thriving economy with the focus on the media industry. the city is the home of Video house, one of Belgium’s largest multimedia enterprises, along with other thriving media companies. international enterprise Komatsu chose Vilvoorde as its european headquarters thanks to the city’s strategic location, well-developed infrastructure and other competitive advantages as a business base. hans Bonte says, “Both the company and the city have a synergy that brings excellent results.” Vilvoorde continues to invest in new facilities and services for its residents and enterprises. one current project involves turning old industrial areas into cutting-edge new business parks designed to attract national and international high-tech companies, service providers and other businesses looking for an ideal base in Belgium. mayor hans Bonte and his team are ready to assist any type of investor and business interested in visiting Vilvoorde and exploring its many possibilities.

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province of antwerp

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Flanders - province of antwerp

antwerp: Leading Logistics hub and much more “antwerp’s highly central location places all Western european business capitals within easy reach. on top of this, the port of antwerp provides quick and cost-efﬁcient access to the rest of europe and even the rest of the world.”

Cathy Berx, Governor of Antwerp, discusses

strengths.

her

cityʼs

unique

European Times: Can you give us an introduction to Antwerp? Cathy Berx: the antwerp region is one of the 10 provinces that make up the kingdom of Belgium. antwerp’s many economic advantages make it an excellent hub for european market expansion. For enterprises targeting europe, antwerp is right at the heart of the action. antwerp’s highly central location places all Western european business capitals within easy reach. on top of this, the port of antwerp provides quick and cost-efficient access to the rest of europe and even the rest of the world. You can reach antwerp from anywhere in the world. Because of antwerp’s central location, excellent port facilities and exceptional logistics know-how, many companies have set up their european distribution centres here, and antwerp’s regional development agency, pom (provincial ontwikkelingsmaatschappij), promotes antwerp as a distribution hub. European Times: What are Antwerp’s investment attractions beyond serving as a logistics hub? Cathy Berx: in fact, antwerp is

much more than its port and distribution centres. antwerp also has an extensive petrochemical cluster, many highly innovative companies in a range of sectors, a deep-rooted creative economy, high-quality education and research facilities, a lively arts and cultural scene and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. antwerp’s ambitions extend far beyond being just a logistics port or the home of european distribution centres. European Times: What are your goals for Antwerp’s future? Cathy Berx: antwerp’s openness to the whole world and its internationalism are based on an historically entrenched policy choice, the roots of

which can be traced back to the 15th century. this heritage has been brilliantly brought to life in antwerp’s new museum aan de stroom (mas). our region is blessed with excellent Dna: our location, visionary projects, and above all the sustained hard work of a huge number of people. it is our duty more than ever to continue to create the best possible environment so that we can extend all these advantages beyond our borders. everyone can and should work together to contribute to this. the world is changing. antwerp is doing well but can and must do even better. this presupposes sustained determination, commitment, sharing of knowledge and cooperation that involve everyone regardless of their job, position, background, origin and age. the province can also play an important part in this process. the challenge is to make these ambitions reality.

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antwerp: an excellent Choice for tourism, Business and Daily Life European Times: What are some of Antwerp’s biggest assets? Bart De Wever: antwerp’s port area is the home of one of the world’s most successful petrochemical clusters. We also have a new R&D hub at the BlueGate project, close to the city centre. our diamond business has made antwerp famous all over the world. In China, no one can ﬁnd Belgium on a map, but they know Antwerp’s diamonds. And ﬁnally, Antwerp is an international start-up city for young, creative entrepreneurs in the internet and advertising sectors. European Times: What about quality of life? Bart De Wever: antwerp is large enough to be interesting but small enough to avoid the anonymity of the world’s biggest cities. antwerp offers so much more than rubens, the historical city centre and riverside views. there are several developing neighbourhoods, promising housing projects, and outstanding new museums, bars and restaurants. antwerp is not only a nice place to visit, but also a nice place to live, build a family and start a business. to attract more businesses, we are strengthening our investment-promotion agency, antwerp headquarters. European Times: What are the main challenges facing the city?

Bart De Wever, Mayor of Antwerp, talks about what makes his city unique.

European Times: How does Antwerp differentiates itself from other Belgian cities? Bart De Wever: antwerp is what it is today thanks to its port and the local and global companies that make it thrive. antwerp’s port is the most important port even for southern Germany, and it has always brought in new blood from all over the world and exported antwerp’s goods and knowledge.

Bart De Wever: Trafﬁc congestion is a problem, and we are working hard to complete a true ring road around the city centre. another challenge is high labour costs, which is the case everywhere in Belgium, so we are focussing on making entrepreneurs aware of the city’s strong points which compensate for this, including our port which is ready for expansion and our very business-friendly city government. We are also improving quality of life, including our schools, to encourage more families to stay in the city. European Times: What is your personal message? Bart De Wever: When you change the planned course of an oil tanker by even a few degrees, you end up at a completely different destination. that is what i want to do in antwerp: set a new goal and aim for a better destination.

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Flanders - province sector of antwerp

Long history as Cultural and trade Crossroads

Antwerp city, capital of the Antwerp province, has been a leading global trade hub

for centuries. This multicultural city was one of the most prosperous urban centres in Europe in the Middle Ages.

today, antwerp is Belgium’s secondmost-populous city after Brussels, with a population of 512,000 as of January 2013. antwerp is located on the right (eastern) bank of the scheldt river, which is linked to the north sea by the Western scheldt estuary. thanks to this natural advantage, antwerp has long had a port and the port of antwerp is one of the biggest in europe. antwerp is also the home of the university of antwerp, one of Belgium’s top universities and the third-largest university in Flanders.

antwerp city and province support a diverse economy based on R&D (including the European Institute for reference materials and measurements, or irmm, in Geel), chemicals (antwerp has the world’s second-largest chemicals cluster), diamond-trading, pharmaceuticals, paper, metallurgy, glass, textiles and more.

Centre of the diamond trade antwerp is known worldwide for its diamond industry. the city’s diamond expertise began centuries ago when local diamond expert Lodewyk van Berken invented a new form of diamond-polishing tool, the scaif, which enabled the creation of multifaceted diamonds. now the city’s Diamond Quarter (Diamantkwartier), dubbed the square mile, handles around 84% of the world’s rough diamonds, and over €14 billion in polished diamonds pass through

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the district’s exchanges each year. antwerp has around 380 diamond workshops serving around 1,500 companies as well as thousands of diamond-brokers, merchants and diamond-cutters. the antwerp World Diamond Centre and four diamondtrading exchanges are located in the diamond district. the Diamond Club of antwerp and the Beurs voor Diamanthandel exchanges were founded by hasidic diamond experts; Yiddish was historically a main language of the diamond exchange. the district also contains four banks specialising in ﬁnancing the diamond trade. along with its thriving economy and busy port, antwerp is also a popular tourism destination. many great architectural landmarks from past eras have been preserved throughout the city, including the Cathedral of our Lady, begun in the 14th century and ﬁnished in the 16th. It contains four works by rubens. antwerp’s royal museum of Fine arts has a vast collection of old masters, and peter paul rubens’ former home and studio are now a museum. For business investment or tourism, antwerp is an attractive choice.

trust, Loyalty, adaptation and Flexibility Trust, loyalty, adaptation and ﬂexibility are the core components that have allowed Grossmann Diamond Manufacturing to excel in the diamond industry.

these core values have allowed Grossmann to reﬁne their expertise and continue the tradition of working in the diamond business for 8 generations. the aaa rating which they have earned is a testament to their core beliefs and allows Grossmann Diamond manufacturing to continue to be a main supplier to swiss watch makers.

Laurent Grossmann, Manager

arnold Grossmann, senior partner, supervises and manages the overseas manufacturing units and is what most would call a master of the evaluation and purchasing of rough diamonds. his son, Laurent Grossmann manages the quality control of the company and is an expert in the polished diamond sector, which includes appraisals and valuations of polished diamonds. arnold Grossmann stresses that the tailored service that has been offered to their customers for the past 36 years is a key component to thriving in the antwerp Diamond District in both economic upturns and hardships alike. the service that Grossmann Diamond manufacturing has provided and the respectable name that they have maintained over the years, has allowed them to remain a successful business and model representation of the world-famous antwerp Diamond District. Grossmann Diamond Manufacturing Pelikaanstraat 78 2018 Antwerp Tel: +32 3 231 5668 diamond@diamond.be www.diamond.be

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Flanders - province of antwerp

port of antwerp: Leading Global shipping hub

one-stop-shop investor service in antwerp

The Port of Antwerp is now ranked Europeʼs

Investors in Antwerp, both the city and the

the 20 busiest ports in the world.

support from POM Antwerp. The investment-

second-busiest port after Rotterdam and among

province, can count on top-quality one-stop-shop

promotion organisation serves as the essential

liaison between investors, local government and other organisations, and the local private sector.

set on the tidal estuary of the scheldt river, the port offers the exceptional advantage of a strategic location on the north sea in the heart of western europe as well as the capacity to handle ships of more than 100,000 tonnes. the port also enjoys highly developed rail, road and inland-waterway links to destinations throughout Belgium and beyond. in 2012, the port of antwerp handled 14,556 ocean-going vessels carrying a total 184.1 million tonnes of cargo (56.5% of it in containers), and 56,476 inland-waterway barges carrying 117.1 million tons of cargo. the port also provided cruise services to more than 800 destinations. napoleon Bonaparte ordered the construction of antwerp’s ﬁrst lock and dock in 1811, and the port has been growing steadily ever since. after World War ii, the port began a major expansion programme which included the Berendrecht Lock, the world’s largest shipping lock, inaugurated in 1989. since then, the port’s development has focused on fast turnaround tidal berths serving the europa terminal, the north sea terminal and Deurganck Dock. the port of antwerp is a key reason international investors target Flanders.

pom antwerp provides a wide range of services, including a portfolio of building land and office space as well as help with finding land and office facilities through other sources. one high-potential choice is pom antwerp’s Lier Duwijck business park, an innovative, Co2-neutral mixed regional business park. pom antwerp’s new Kontich satenrozen development just off the e19 antwerp-Brussels motorway is another excellent business base. pom antwerp also excels at consulting support, offering investment advice about locations, trade opportunities, tax incentives, logistics services and more. For investors looking for local partners, pom antwerp is the ideal go-between. the organisation regularly hosts networking events and other programmes designed to bring foreign and local investors together. For potential investors in antwerp, pom antwerp is the right first contact.

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Geel: small City with many attractions

Boutique hotel in the heart of Geel Hotel Roosendaelhof combines modern comforts and a warm welcome with the charm of an historic 400-year-old owner,

building.

purchased

the

Erik

hotel

Van

Genechten,

with

Kathleen

Goovaerts, Manager, in 2004 and they completely renovated it to create a charming boutique property in the heart of Geel.

Geel, in the province of Antwerp, is an ancient city with a modern economy and many attractions for visitors.

Geel’s best-known landmark is its market square, facing sint-amands church and bordered by attractive café terraces. Geel’s City hall, part of which dates from the 17th century, and sint-Dimpna (saint Dymphna) church are other historic sites. Geel’s attractions include a century-old linden tree, a ﬁeld of orchids, three windmills, a military cemetery and several museums, including quirky ones honouring lamps and clocks. the city has a picturesque location along the river nete in the Campine region, a varied landscape of forests and dunes. De Zegge nature reserve, owned by the antwerp Zoo, is located in the area. one of the largest reggae festivals in europe, the reggae Geel festival, is held just outside the city every year in august. Geel has a diverse economy based on agriculture, industry, research and trade. enterprises operating in the city include the biotech company Genzyme, the institute for reference materials and measurements (one of the seven scientiﬁc institutes in the European Commission’s Joint research Centre group), innotek technology centre, CipaL, and the information Centre for Dangerous Goods, or BiG.

150

the hotel has 19 guestrooms, each with its own style. Kathleen Goovaerts says, “this is a very unique hotel which welcomes our guests personally and concentrates on making them feel at home. Geel has become a real city with many attractions but it is still quiet and peaceful. We attract many return visitors, and that is what pleases me most.” the hotel initially served mainly business travellers but it now sees many more leisure visitors as tourism in Geel grows. the roosendaelhof ’s guests come from all over the world, including many from the uK and the us as well as elsewhere in europe. Kathleen Goovaerts plans even more services for her guests, and will open a new bar in the hotel this winter. she urges international travellers to visit Geel and let her team at the roosendaelhof make them feel at home. she says, “Geel has the charm of a small village, and we are ready to make you glad you came here.” Hotel Roosendaelhof The Lodge-Hotels Group Stationsstraat 50, 2440 Geel, Tel: +32 14 56 5050 info@roosendaelhof.be, www.roosendaelhof.be

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province of Limburg

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hasselt: many Cities in one hasselt also has a university and three other higher-education institutions, and we have many research activities and spin-off companies. our Corda Campus innovation centre and our Quartier Canal creativity centre facilitate exchanges of ideas. European Times: What are Hasselt’s leading economic sectors? Hilde Claes: healthcare is one of our main sectors, and we are planning to establish a new zone just for healthcare companies. Being the third largest trade centre of Flanders, retail trade also plays a major role in the local economy, and we have a healthy tourism industry. hasselt attracted 64,500 visitors between January and september 2013, and last year we had more than 200,000 overnight tourism stays. our city government acts as a facilitator for the business sector. European Times: What are you doing to attract FDI?

Hilde Claes, Mayor of Hasselt, discusses the cityʼs appeal for visitors and investors.

European Times: What makes Hasselt special? Hilde Claes: hasselt is the capital of taste, a city to be experienced with all senses. the charm of the city is its combination of unique shops, great restaurants, comfortable lodging and inspiring cultural attractions. hasselt is many cities in one. Business-wise, hasselt has a number of strengths which sets it apart from other cities in Limburg. the city has an extremely well-developed infrastructure and is the business hub for the entire province, the meuse-rhine euroregion and beyond.

Hilde Claes: to attract investments hasselt works with Lrm, a provincial investment fund. an Lrm delegation along with city officials recently travelled to silicon Valley in the us to promote hasselt and Limburg as an investment target, especially for joint ventures. hasselt wants to expand its technology footprint, both here and in Belgium, with major amounts of capital being made available to new firms expanding in both hasselt and silicon Valley. We want to attract smes and we have created a number of public-private-partnership opportunities. one of the most remarkable partnerships is with CityDepot. this is a logistics centre on the outskirts of the city that specialises in smart deliveries for our retail stores in the city centre. another example is our partnership with the Flanders tourism office to create a new youth hostel. European Times: What are your current goals? Hilde Claes: one of our most important projects is to create additional business and industrial zones and optimise the ones we already have. We also aim to grow as a knowledge centre in the innovative economy for the entire region. hasselt is a dynamic, innovative city with many opportunities in all kinds of sectors.

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Flanders - province of Limburg

Capital of Limburg

Hasselt, capital of the province of Limburg in Belgiumʼs Flanders region, has a long history and a very dynamic, modern style. Hasselt

was founded in the 7th century and grew steadily thanks to its strategic location and the proximity of the ruling countʼs castle and Herkenrode abbey. Hasselt was overseen by many administrations

over the centuries, from Liège to France and Maastricht. In 1839 Hasselt was oﬃcially named the capital of Limburg. hasselt’s dynamic business sector includes the newly renamed Corda Campus, designed as an ideal base for innovative companies. it is already the home of cutting-edge enterprises like Cronos, Luminus, mobile Vikings and Kluwer, as well as young technology companies like rightbrain, ontoforce and J4s. Corda Campus offers companies excellent opportunities to network with local and regional decision-makers, including enterprise agency, Flanders investment & Trade and Innovation Centre Limburg

hasselt is a popular tourism destination for both Belgian and international travellers. top sites in addition to the stadsmus City museum include herkenrode abbey and refugee house, hasselt Cathedral, the Virga Jesse Basilica, the Begijnhof, and many parks and gardens. in 2004, hasselt became the ﬁrst Belgian city to receive the title “most sociable city of Flanders”, and it has since been named the “Capital of Good taste”. the city’s downtown area features many pedestrians-only streets.

hasselt’s eventful history – which is showcased in stadsmus City museum – has left the city with a wealth of architectural landmarks and a vibrant cultural scene.

paradise for fashion and shopping

hasselt is now ranked Belgium’s

ﬁfth-largest commercial centre and is known as a paradise for shopping. the city has gained an international reputation for its expensive and exclusive fashion offerings, supported by the local Fashion museum and a specially designed fashion tour. Demerstraat and Koning albertstraat are top streets for shoppers while Kapelstraat and hoogstraat are known for their exclusive fashion boutiques. the city is also the home of hasselt university, one of Belgium’s leading higher-education institutions. europe’s largest Japanese Garden is located in hasselt and the city’s Grenslandhallen exhibition centre is a popular venue for all kinds of conferences and events. many festivals are organised in the city year-round, including pukkelpop, and a festival honouring Genever (Belgian-style gin). the famous Belgian “speculaas” cookies are also a speciality of the city. the large central market square, Grote markt, and nearby streets are lined with pubs, restaurants and entertainment options. Hasselt is deﬁnitely worth a visit.

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a Great Day in the Country for the Whole Family Domain Kelchterhoef, a 200-hectare green oasis in the heart of the beautiful Limburg

forest near Houthalen, is an ideal choice for travellers looking for a relaxing getaway. The

area has a long history. It was given to the Abbey of Floreﬀe in 1288 by Count Arnold IV

and was known for its agricultural production and ﬁsheries for centuries.

today, Domain Kelchterhoef offers both natural and historic attractions. the forest includes many very old trees as well as a number of paths perfect for family walks, including a famous walk among massive chestnut trees. the Domain also includes several ancient farmhouses that have been turned into restaurants and cafés. these are hoeve mieneke, hoeve Jan (complete with an ancient outdoor oven) and the abbey farmhouse. all serve locally brewed beers and a wide choice of dishes.

special attractions for children Visitors can walk or ride bicycles along well-maintained paths and try to spot some of the many birds and animals which live in the forest and around its many ponds. the ‘De Bosberg’ area is ideal for children and norbert the oak will tell the history of the park in a way that any child will love. in addition to Kelchterhoef ’s restaurants and cafés, several picnic areas are available. Kelchterhoef also has a 20-hectare water park, De plas, where children can enjoy themselves on giant water slides, a sand beach or in a playground while parents and older children can go surﬁng or sailing. For a perfect day out with everyone in the family, Domain Kelchterhoef is an excellent choice.

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province of east Flanders

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east Flanders: innovative, Business-Friendly, ideally Located Ghent

east Flanders particularly excels in niche markets like biotechnology, environmental technology, micro-electronics, multimedia and medical technology. the university city of Ghent offers synergies between knowledge centres and business. east Flanders is also known for its educated population, of whom one-quarter have higher-education diplomas. many speak english, French and German as well as Dutch.

a culture of entrepreneurship adding to its advantages, east Flanders cultivates a culture of entrepreneurship and has devised all kinds of support services for innovative companies. tax breaks, employment measures, subsidies, ﬁnancing, training support, business consulting and more are all provided to companies in east Flanders. private organisations, including Chambers of Commerce, sector federations and professions associations, also offer service packages. East Flanders is the gateway to the EUʼs 500 million consumers. This outstanding base for research and development is strategically

located in the heart of Europe and oﬀers exceptional transport infrastructure, skilled and exceptionally productive human resources, and

one of the most business-friendly governments in the world.

thanks to extensive investment in research and development, along with productive partnerships between research institutions, universities and the private sector, east Flanders is recognised worldwide for its innovation in a number of cutting-edge ﬁelds. In fact, East Flanders has been ranked by eurostat, the eu’s statistics agency, as the number three region in europe for innovation after Germany’s rhinelandpalatinate and hesse.

For companies looking to establish a distribution hub to serve eu and global markets, east Flanders has a wealth of plus factors. these are a dense rail and road network, including two major trans-european motorways; easy access to Brussels international airport and to airports in Lille, ostend, antwerp and Charleroi; major ports at Ghent and Waaslandhaven and access to ports at antwerp, Zeebrugge and ostend; the Ghent-terneuzen canal; and inland waterways on the scheldt, Leie and ringvaart rivers.

Focus on knowledge and innovation the ViB biotech cluster in Ghent illustrates east Flanders’ prominence in knowledge-based activities. ViB is an international centre of excellence focused on pioneering research in life sciences. Working in close partnership with the universities of Ghent, Leuven, antwerp and Brussels, ViB employs 1,100 scientists, of whom 500 are in Ghent. ViB aims to translate knowledge into

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sector Flanders - province of east Flanders

Diversiﬁed economy driven by SMEs smes are the driving force behind the economy of east Flanders. around 90% of the region’s companies have fewer than 20 employees, while 98% have fewer than 100. however, east Flanders also has, after antwerp, the largest number of companies in Flanders with 1,000 employees or more. many of these enterprises are near the ports of Ghent and the Waaslandhaven.

University Hospital in Ghent

economic growth and scientific progress for the benefit of society. VIB’s specialist Tech Transfer service ﬁles patent applications for major inventions and looks for opportunities to commercialise them. startup biotech companies can germinate and grow in optimal conditions in the Ghent-ViB bio-incubators, and a new Bio-accelerator will support more established companies. Ghent’s “Biotech Valley” is drawing foreign as well as local investors. the university of Ghent is another knowledge pole in east Flanders. it is particularly strong in genetic engineering and biotechnology, microelectronics and medicine, and the university’s research efforts have generated many start-ups. apart from biotechnology, east Flanders is also a leader in iCt, multimedia, semiconductors, medical software and environmental technology. textiles and horticulture are other areas in which the region has developed a competitive edge. the university of Ghent’s horticultural test centre and Faculty of agriculture and applied Biological sciences are known for their research activities.

east Flanders has a well-developed manufacturing base which was dominated by the textiles industry for centuries; east Flanders was one of the earliest industrialised regions in europe thanks to the textiles sector. When economic diversiﬁcation began, it was around the port of Ghent, which attracted companies in the steel, metal-working and auto sectors. stora enso, arcelor mittal, Volvo and honda europe all have facilities there today. With Jan De nul, east Flanders also has a major dredging company that is one of the world leaders in its ﬁeld.

exceptional quality of life east Flanders is recognised for its high quality of life. its schools, healthcare and other services meet the highest international standards, and the region has long been very multicultural. the university of Ghent and the city’s other higher-education institutions have a total of 50,000 students enrolled, more than in any other Belgian city. in addition, the Vlerick Leuven Gent management school excels at training the next generation of innovative business managers. east Flanders also offers exceptional food and drink, many tourism attractions, a lively cultural scene, a welcoming multilingual population, and many recreational facilities. Ghent, known for its beauty, has a highly reputed university hospital, the largest in Flanders. east Flanders has deﬁnitely established itself as a leading European region in many ﬁelds and as an excellent place to live, work and do business in.

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smarter energy Distribution thanks to Dynamic enterprise Energy distribution in Belgium is

getting a lot smarter through the eﬀorts of Eandis. The company is

responsible

for

supplying

electricity and natural gas around the clock to 234 municipalities across

handles

Belgium, 50%

and

the

now

energy

distribution in Belgium as a whole and 80% in Flanders.

Walter Van den Bossche, CEO

To better manage energy flows and achieve maximum efficiency, Eandis has invested in developing and implementing the latest energy-distribution technologies, including smart grids and smart metres. Ceo Walter Van den Bossche says, “in some countries, a so-called smart metre monitors a customer’s energy use once a day or once a week. at eandis, we think that a smart metre should provide real-time monitoring of energy use, and we are working to monitor data every 15 minutes.” the company’s focus on smart technologies is designed to help Flanders meet the eu’s challenging 20-20-20 objectives. these are to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions by 20% and increase energy efficiency and the proportion of renewables in the energy mix by 20%, all by 2020. eandis does not generate or sell energy but rather handles distribution. eandis’s

158

mission is to ensure that electricity and natural gas reach individual and business customers as efﬁciently as possible, and smart technologies are crucial in helping eandis reach its goal.

Keeping pace with new developments the company is committed to keeping pace with new developments in the energy sector. Walter Van den Bossche says, “We are preparing for a convergence between electricity and heating provision and we are also starting to offer energy services for local authorities, for example concerning renewable insulation.” eandis enjoys a productive relationship with the Flemish government, has been achieving strong ﬁnancial results and will continue to play a key role in promoting increased energy efﬁ-

ciency and more sustainable energy use in Belgium. eandis cannot do its job alone, however. Walter Van den Bossche points out, “We are developing smart metres and smart grids, but what we need is smart users. With all due respect, everyone is telling me that energy in europe is too expensive. But really, current prices do not provoke a change in the mindset of the average european. to achieve europe’s 20-20-20 goal of a 20% increase in energy efﬁciency by 2020, we need a new mindset, and eandis is doing its part in promoting this.” Eandis Brusselsesteenweg 199 - 9090 Melle Press relations: Simon.vanwijmeersch@eandis.be Tel: +32 9 263 4554 Investor relations: Koen.schelkens@eandis.be Tel: +32 9 263 4504 www.eandis.be

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Flanders - province of east Flanders

Ghent: thriving economy and Cultural appeal is of course a major attraction for companies. multinationals are drawn to Ghent, such as philips, and Ghent is well known for its bio energy and use of bio fuels. it is the home of ‘Ghent Web Valley’ and iminds, the former Flemish institute of Broadband technology. arcelormittal and Volvo alone have created a total of 10,000 jobs, and we also have work opportunities at the stora enso paper mill. new companies are constantly looking for a location in our city.

Daniël Termont, elected Mayor

of Ghent since the end of 2006 and member of the city

council for 37 consecutive years already, discusses his goals for his city.

European Times: How has Ghent changed during your time as mayor?

European Times: What are you doing to attract international investment?

Daniël Termont: For the first time, we have set up (after the local elections of the 14th of october, 2012) a political coalition with three parties: sp.a (social Democrats), openVLD (Liberal Democrats) en Groen (Green party). together we have got a large majority within the city council, and hence the support of most of the Ghent inhabitants. another key development is that Ghent has become a city of culture. people who knew our city during the 1970s and 1980s are aware that it was not a vibrant city then, but we have made major investments in renewing the city centre and in developing new cultural projects. today, Ghent is a ‘city of knowledge’ as well: it is Belgium’s biggest student city with some 70,000 youngsters in our university and our four schools of higher education. Ghent has also been recognised by the UNESCO as one of only five cities in the world so far for ‘musical creativity’, and we have a very popular 10-day film festival called ‘Ghent Film Fest’. We promote Ghent for its cultural riches,

Daniël Termont, Mayor of Ghent

as well as for its higher education, its university and related activities. European Times: What are Ghent’s leading economic activities? Daniël Termont: our main industries are paper, metals, automobile and chemicals, but we are working hard to develop innovative new industries and new technologies. one of our high-potential sectors is biotechnology, which beneﬁts from the university. the port of Ghent

Daniël Termont: We have a whole team of people who travel to meet potential investors. the port of Ghent is one reason foreign companies are interested in our city, especially since the port is constantly being improved and expanded. it is one of the few ports in europe with such extensive development space. our research activities through the university are another main attraction. Ghent has also performed well during the economic crisis. none of our companies has closed down. European Times: What about tourism? Daniël Termont: We do not want Ghent to be like Bruges, that depends almost solely on tourism, although we do promote our city’s tourism attractions and we have almost one million overnight stays per year. Ghent is no longer ‘Belgium’s best-kept secret’, it hasn’t been for years!

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province of West Flanders

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Flanders - province of West Flanders

Diverse economy and major energy initiative Wind mills, Zeebrugge

of europe, highly developed transport and communications infrastructure, and excellent quality of life.

Tourism, agriculture and ﬁshing tourism is another growth sector for West Flanders, particularly along the coastline and in Bruges and Westhoek. West Flanders is also the most agricultural province in Flanders. Livestock-breeding, crop-growing and horticulture make a major contribution to the regional economy and also supply quality food products. Building on its agricultural potential, West Flanders has become a world leader in food processing. The region is also known for its ﬁshing industry, which is based mainly in the ports of Zeebrugge, ostend and nieuwpoort and brings in more than €81 million in revenues.

West Flanders has managed to evolve with the

modern global economy and develop a wide

range of thriving sectors. West Flanders now has fast-growing companies in the metallurgy,

textiles and clothing, nutrition, chemicals and plastics, and many other industries.

small and medium-sized enterprises drive the economic development of West Flanders. the province has a long tradition of entrepreneurship, and family-owned and -operated companies play a key role in West Flanders’ GDp. to support the success of its smes as well as its larger companies, West Flanders has developed a very favourable investment climate which enhances the province’s other advantages. these include a strategic location in the heart

Flanders is known worldwide for its exceptional educational system, and while West Flanders has no universities, it is the home of three university-colleges (hoWest, Katho, KhBo) as well as the KuLaK, a campus of the Catholic university of Louvain in Kortrijk. in addition, some schools in West Flanders offer unique, sector-oriented training programmes, including in maritime techniques in ostend and in textile-production techniques in Waregem. a symbol of West Flanders’ innovation is a new energy development which is the ﬁrst wind farm in the Belgian north sea. the C-power 325-mW offshore wind farm on the thornton Bank 30 km offshore was launched in 2008 and completed in July 2013. the wind farm now has a second submarine cable, an offshore transformer station and 30 6.15 mW turbines, the highest-capacity turbines installed offshore in the world. at peak capacity, the wind farm will provide clean, renewable energy to over 600,000 inhabitants each year, which is 10% of the total amount of renewable energy that Belgium has committed itself to produce by 2020. With this project, West Flanders demonstrates its spirit of innovation.

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BeLGium

West Flanders Development agency promoting entrepreneurship The West Flanders Development Agency (POM) helps put the regional governmentʼs economic-

development strategies into practice. Stefaan Matton, Director, explains, “Every region of Belgium has its own POM. Our priority is to encourage the entrepreneurship for which West Flanders is well known. We are very interested in

encouraging local young people to create their own businesses. We work a lot with SMEs and young business-owners in the start-up phase. We believe small is beautiful!”

pom West Flanders initiates, coordinates and realises activities and projects focusing on sustainable entrepreneurship, business infrastructure, innovation, social services and international business support. the agency works to reinforce West Flanders’ reputation as an internationally orientated, dynamic, competitive and innovative region with a very business-friendly environment. pom is involved in the region’s transport and logistics, corporate sustainability, business infrastructure and innovation initiatives.

three key sectors driving regional economy West Flanders has many start-ups and small companies in a variety of sectors. to focus the region’s development efforts, pom has singled out three clusters with particularly strong growth potential. These are ﬁshing, ﬁsh-processing and renewable wind energy along the coast; agriculture in the fertile farmland in the centre of the region; and industrial production, particularly of textiles, plastics and new materials, in the southern part of the region. “these three clusters are driving the economy of West Flanders. the region also attracts a lot of investment in research and development,” stefaan matton says.

as the location of Bruges, one of Belgium’s top tourism attractions, West Flanders also has a thriving tourism sector, and the region’s two busy ports attract investment by both local and international enterprises. stefaan matton points out, “each of our ports has its own speciality. ostend focuses more on offshore wind power while Zeebrugge focuses on imports and exports of materials, so the ports do not compete with each other. they form a part of the whole.” pom welcomes the chance to assist new investors in West Flanders. Deﬁning the region’s approach to economic development and investment, stefaan matton says, “in West Flanders, we have found more value in cooperation rather than in competition between companies. We look at all companies whether they are local or foreign, multinationals or smes, new or well established - as partners, not competitors.”

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Flanders - province of West Flanders

Blankenberge, tourism hub on the Coast Patrick De Klerck, Mayor of Blankenberge, discusses the appeal of Blankenberge and of Belgiumʼs coastal region. European special?

Times:

What

makes

Blankenberge

Patrick De Klerck: the Flemish Coast is Belgium’s most important tourism region. We have about 80,000 vacation homes here and many tourism attractions. Blankenberge is special because it has a small, compact city centre with a very lively cultural scene. tourism is our main industry. the Belgian coast also has the largest number of solar cells in the country as well as green energy from windmills in the sea. European Times: What are some recent trends in the local tourism sector? Patrick De Klerck: We ﬁnd that people are coming here more often but staying a shorter time. We have about 5,500 hotel rooms in the 10 cities along the coast. now new hotel chains are opening better-quality hotels in the area. in Blankenberge, two large hotels are being built, both near the train station. our current station will be torn down and we will build a new one along with the two hotels. many people move here when they retire, but we would like to attract a younger generation as well, so we are planning to build some housing developments with younger people in mind. We offer bonuses and tax subsidies for younger people who choose to live here. European Times: What are some of the challenges you are facing? Patrick De Klerck: Like all coastal regions, we are limited by the sea. We must build everything into a compact zone and be able to ﬁt everyone in. I am the current president of the coastal region, a two-year post which we alternate among the 10 mayors of the region. We meet to discuss challenges,

including protecting the environment and focusing on sustainable development. We are trying to keep our green areas and create new ones. in the past there was a “build build build” mentality but now we are protecting areas, like our dunes. European Times: Do the cities on the coast compete with each other? Patrick De Klerck: each city has its own character and speciality. Blankenberge has rail connections and serves cruise ships. We also offer all-weather facilities, a sea-life centre, and museums focusing on history, insects and ﬁshing. We have tourism niches as well as maritime niches, and we have a lot of connections internationally. i invite visitors to come see for themselves how beautiful and interesting Blankenberge is!

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• Economy Minister Highlights Wallonia’s Economic Success Story • Wallonia: Outstanding Tourism Appeal in the Heart of Europe

Wallonia

“For investors in Europe, Wallonia is deﬁnitely an ideal choice for all kinds of innovative projects.” Jean-Claude Marcourt, Minister of Economy for Wallonia

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sector Wallonia

Wallonia has the ‘Wow’ Factor Rudy Demotte, Minister-President of Wallonia, discusses his vision for this dynamic region.

European Times: What has been Wallonia’s greatest success story while you have been Minister-President? Rudy Demotte: the greatest success has been plan marshall 2, which has resulted in the creation of 15,702 jobs that are expected to be long-term, as well as 18,008 direct aids to companies and 1,315 funded researchers. and all this is in addition to the ﬁrst Marshall Plan, which prioritised innovation, networking and education. European Times: What are your goals for Wallonia? Rudy Demotte: our main objective now is our plan marshall 2022 which aims to stimulate economic activity and create more jobs here in Wallonia, with a focus on sustainable economic growth and quality jobs. European Times: Is Wallonia’s economy growing? Rudy Demotte: From 2007 to 2012, Wallonia increased its percentage of Belgium’s GDp from 19% to 25%. this means that Wallonia is growing faster than Flanders. our exports are also growing at the rate of 7% per year, which is faster than the export growth of France, the netherlands or the uK and the same as Germany’s. in 2012, €756 million was invested in the Walloon economy, creating 1,719 direct jobs, and a total of 49 new companies set up operations here last year.

European Times: Why should international investors choose Wallonia? Rudy Demotte: Wallonia’s strategic location and state-of-the-art logistics infrastructure are key draws. the biggest Belgian freight airport and the fifth-biggest European freight airport are in Wallonia, Liège. this city is also europe’s second-biggest internal port. Wallonia is also a world leader in several fields, including in the creation of the slow-motion images found in some of the most popular films made today as well as design, nano-technology, special telescopes, rockets, pharmaceuticals and more. in addition, we are

promoting sustainable heavy-industry and chemicals-industry development. Wallonia offers a high productivity rate and lower costs for building land and business start-ups than in Flanders, and our political and business leaders are open to contacts with foreign investors. European Times: What is your personal message to potential investors? Rudy Demotte: Wallonia was once the european leader in the industrial revolution and our ambition now is to be a new kind of leader for this century. We want people to say ‘Wow!’ when they talk about Wallonia.

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economy minister highlights Wallonia’s economic success story Jean-Claude Marcourt, Minister of Economy

for Wallonia, discusses the regionʼs growth potential, recent progress and investment attractions.

European Times: As a Minister and a former VicePresident of Wallonia, what can you tell us about the region’s unique investment appeal? Jean-Claude Marcourt: Wallonia is the oldest industrial area in continental europe, beginning its industrial revolution just after that of the uK. after the second World War, however, Wallonia suffered industrial decline. ever since i became minister, my mission has been to build on the Marshall Plan to achieve significant economic growth for Wallonia, and we are making great progress. We have been focussing on cutting-edge new economic sectors, such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, and Wallonia is now the biggest vaccine manufacturer and the second largest pharmaceutical exporter of the world. European Times: What are some other sectors with growth prospects in Wallonia? Jean-Claude Marcourt: other strong sectors include agribusiness, engineering, logistics, aerospace, new materials and ‘green’ chemicals. We have completely changed our way of working by promoting synergy between the private sector and universities in order to foster innovation. now we are launching ‘Creative Wallonia’, which promotes innovation in culture as well as in technologies. We are very proud that Wallonia was recently singled out by the eu as one of two official ‘Creative Districts’ in Europe. European Times: What are the biggest challenges Wallonia is facing? Jean-Claude Marcourt: the biggest challenge was the lack of a strong economic base, and we have been dealing with that through the marshall plan. also, like the rest of Belgium, Wallonia needs to have more confidence in its talents and to promote itself more strongly.

Jean-Claude Marcourt, Minister of Economy for the Walloon Region

European Times: What is your biggest success as minister so far? Jean-Claude Marcourt: my biggest success is to have created a new way of thinking about the economy in Wallonia. We broke down the barriers between universities and enterprises, enabling smes to access research and innovation. European Times: What is your message to potential investors in Wallonia? Jean-Claude Marcourt: Wallonia’s government is working hard to ensure sustainable economic growth and solid public ﬁnances. In addition, Wallonia has a very attractive tax regime, a strategic location in europe, and excellent logistics and transport infrastructure, including easy access to the ports of antwerp and rotterdam and Belgium’s busiest freight airport. Wallonia also offers a high quality of life. For investors in Europe, Wallonia is deﬁnitely an ideal choice for all kinds of innovative projects.

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Wallonia

Wallonia: outstanding tourism appeal in the heart of europe European Times: What are the weaknesses of Wallonia’s tourism sector? Paul Furlan: two weaknesses are climate and image. i often look to ireland as a model of success because it has a climate similar to ours or even worse, but the country’s tourism leaders have created a successful image of ireland as a tourism destination. Wallonia’s image should reflect openness to the world. i am now making an investment in Brussels’ south Charleroi airport, which is a key gateway and attraction for major international investors. We need to find more ways to encourage tourism investors as well as visitors to come here. We also need to promote attractions such as spa-Francorchamps and the Waterloo site. We have recently launched the campaign ‘Walloon towns and Cities of our heart’ to promote Wallonia as a high-quality destination. Paul Furlan, Walloniaʼs Minister of Local Authorities, Cities and Tourism, discusses the regionʼs rapidly developing tourism sector. European Times: What are your main goals for Wallonia’s tourism industry? Paul Furlan: Wallonia’s tourism sector, which was not seen as a specific economic sector in the past, now accounts for 60,000 jobs and 5% of our GDp. over the past four years, i have been analysing our tourism industry and thinking of ways to improve it, in collaboration with key players in the sector. We have determined three main development directions for Wallonia’s tourism industry: nature-based ecotourism, city tourism, and business

tourism. all three offer a wide range of assets and investment opportunities. European Times: Can you single out some of Wallonia’s top attractions for tourists? Paul Furlan: Wallonia’s location at the heart of Europe is deﬁnitely an advantage. Wallonia is also home to a wide range of attractions, from the spa-Francorchamps Formula 1 circuit to Waterloo, the l’eau d’heure lakes, and much more. in addition, in 2015 the city of mons will be europe’s ‘Capital of Culture’.

European Times: What progress are you making? Paul Furlan: We have come up with a business strategy with private players in order to create some tourism packages that the government will introduce. now we need for the private sector to market these packages. We hope these initiatives will encourage our visitors to spend more time in Wallonia. European Times: What is your personal message to our readers? Paul Furlan: Come to Wallonia! We welcome you. Wallonia has resources and unexpected riches which are deﬁnitely worth discovering.

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master BeLGium reGio

Former industrial hub transforming its economy Namur

Wallonia

Belgiumʼs

French-speaking

southern region and one of the countryʼs three oﬃcial regions, along with Flanders

and the Brussels Capital Region. Wallonia was one of Europeʼs ﬁrst areas to industrialise on a large scale, second only to Britain in

the industrial revolution of the 19th century.

The region was once Belgiumʼs richest area thanks to its iron and coal mines. Wallonia

suﬀered from the decline of its heavy industry

in the second half of the 20th century, but it has transformed itself in recent years to

develop a thriving, innovation-driven new economy.

With a population of around 3.4 million, Wallonia covers around 55% of Belgium’s land area. Its ofﬁcial capital is Namur and its biggest metropolitan area is Liège, while its most populous municipality is Charleroi. most of Wallonia’s major cities and two-thirds of its population are found along the sambre and meuse valleys, Belgium’s former industrial hub. Wallonia also includes large expanses of fertile agricultural land on the Central Belgian plateau, while the rugged ardennes mountains in the south-eastern part of the region are a popular destination for nature-lovers. strategically located Wallonia borders Flanders and the netherlands in the north, France to the south and west, and Germany and Luxembourg to the east. Wallonia is divided into ﬁve provinces; they are Walloon Brabant, hainaut, Liège, Luxembourg and namur.

Wallonia-Brussels Community Like Belgian’s other two regions, Wallonia has its own government, including a parliament. Wallonia is also part of

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the official Wallonia-Brussels Community, which groups together Belgian’s French-speaking areas concerning the joint management of matters linked essentially to language. the Wallonia-Brussels Community is overseen by a parliament made up of 75 Walloon deputies and 19 Frenchspeaking deputies from the parliament of the BrusselsCapital region. rudy Demotte has been regional prime minister of the Walloon Government since 2007 and regional prime minister of the Walloon Government and of the French Community since 2008. he notes that Wallonia’s greatest recent success stories are the two marshall plans, ambitious initiatives aimed at rebuilding the region’s economy. the first Marshall Plan focused on innovation, networking and education, while the second plan continued this effort and created over 15,000 jobs, 18,000 financial aids for companies, and funding for over 1,300 researchers. the current horizon 2022 plan aims to keep these efforts moving forward to ensure Wallonia’s long-term, sustainable economic development.

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Wallonia

Wallonia’s economic rebirth Suﬀering

severe

Liège International Airport

economic

problems when its heavy industry declined, Wallonia has bounced back. The region has transformed its

economy

and

positioned

itself as a top target for local and

international

investment.

Rudy Demotte, Regional Prime

Minister of Wallonia since 2007, explains, “From 2007 to 2012, Wallonia increased its percentage

of Belgiumʼs GDP from 19% to 25%. This means that Wallonia is growing faster than Flanders. Our exports are also growing at

the rate of 7% per year, which is

faster than the export growth of

France, the Netherlands or the UK and the same as Germanyʼs. In

2012,

€756

million

was

invested in the Walloon economy, creating 1,719 direct jobs, and a

total of 49 new companies set up operations here that year.”

Liège international named “airport of the Year” in 2013 Wallonia is the home of Belgium’s busiest and Europe’s fifth-busiest air-cargo hub, Liège international airport, which also handles around 6.5 million passengers per year. in october 2103, Liège international was named “airport of the Year” for its cargo operations, beating out singapore’s Changi airport and atlanta international in the us. Liège is also the site of europe’s second-biggest internal port. Wallonia has become a world leader in several cutting-edge fields, including design, film imagery, nano-technology, special telescopes, rockets, pharmaceuticals and more. a crucial advantage for investors is that Wallonia’s gov-

ernment is very business friendly and committed to rapid decision-making. While Wallonia is part of Belgium, in the Belgian system the region also has its own parliament and other leaders and can develop its own regulations concerning foreign trade, research, transport, energy, employment and urban planning. the result is that Wallonia has launched a number of ﬁnancial incentives to encourage new companies to set up in the region.

outstanding investment incentives Financial assistance is available for relocation, equipment, R&D within companies, employment, training, export activities and more. incentives include a contribution to a company’s

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sector

relocation costs of up to 20%, reductions in taxes and social contributions, support for staff recruitment and training, ﬁnancial-consultancy services, help in developing exports and accessing new markets, and support for using renewable energies or other environmentally friendly practices. Wallonia also has one of the most competitive tax systems in the eurozone, both for companies and expatriates. new companies in Wallonia which have recently beneﬁted from investment incentives include a pharmaceuticals distribution centre (the pharmaceuticals division of a large international group), a €49-million investment which created 135 new jobs. the project received government subsidies for 22.4% of relocation costs (€11 million) and support from Forem with staff selection and recruitment. A new silicon R&D centre budgeted at €36 million, which focuses on increasing the production and delivery capacity of new products and on improving energy and environmen-

tal efficiency of the production unit, created 75 jobs and received subsidies totalling €7.5 million, or 21% of the project’s initiation costs. a project to establish a new tourism centre, an €11million investment that created 32 jobs in an economic development zone, received subsidies of €1.98 million along with exoneration from withholding tax for five years. Wallonia’s location in the heart of europe, its large choice of development land and office space at affordable prices, and its highly skilled, multilingual human resources add to the region’s advantages for investors. Wallonia’s labour force benefits from a high-quality educational system and many training programmes. What’s more, Wallonia’s workers score around 25% above the european average in productivity. the region’s infrastructure is world-class, and Wallonia enjoys efficient transport links to markets throughout europe and beyond. in fact, Wallonia is now ranked one of the biggest exporters in the world per capita.

marshall plan and marshall plan 2.Green this impressive economic rebirth is the result of two ambitious development plans, the marshall plan and the Marshall Plan 2.Green. The first marshall plan supported economic diversification, job creation and innovation in Wallonia, while the second plan continues on this path while also focusing on sustainability and environmentally friendly growth. Budgeted at €2.75 billion for the period 2009 to 2014, the marshall Plan 2.Green defines six priority areas: human capital; competitiveness clusters; R&D investment; a policy framework that encourages entrepreneurship and job creation, internationalisation of local companies and FDi; the employment-environment alliance, which encourages innovative projects and job creation in the “green” sector; and policies that promote employment in the care industry to

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Wallonia

(including their applications in zero- or near-zero-energy buildings); tWeeD (technology of Wallonia energy, environment and sustainable Development), the cluster which brings together companies and other organisations involved in renewable energy; and Val+, which groups together skilled industrial companies, experts and research centres active in solid-waste treatments. in the food and health sector, BioWin is the health competitiveness cluster that groups together all stakeholders in Wallonia participating in innovation and training in the ﬁelds of biotechnology and health; while WagraLim is dedicated to the food industry, including food-processing.

ensure well-being for residents of Wallonia. next on the agenda for Wallonia is the 2022 horizon strategy, which outlines goals for the future. rudy Demotte explains, “our main objective now is our horizon 2022 plan, which aims to stimulate economic activity and create more jobs here in Wallonia, with a focus on sustainable economic growth and quality jobs.” the Creative Wallonia initiative puts innovation at the forefront of the region’s growth strategies. Creative Wallonia does not simply mean new inventions; it also targets more creative ways of doing business, including in customer services and R&D, as well as programmes to promote a creative mind-set among the people of Wallonia.

Leading competitiveness clusters investinwallonia.be, a one-stop-shop investment portal, highlights Wallonia’s leading competitiveness clusters. in the transport

and logistics sector, the two clusters are Logistics in Wallonia, focusing on making the most of Wallonia’s location and highly developed transport infrastructure, and the skywin aerospace cluster, which promotes maximising competencies and practices in the aerospace industry. Clusters oriented towards the environment and sustainable development are the Cap 2020 business cluster, which brings together contractors, architects, producers and suppliers of materials and services who have adopted eu 2020 energy targets; eco-Construction, a network of companies committed to “green” building practices which brings together architects, infrared-thermography and electromagnetic-pollution specialists, builders, companies active in the green renovation sector, manufacturers, green building-materials suppliers and green electricians, companies active in the ﬁeld of renewable energy, and building contractors specialised in water treatment by lagooning, natural pools installation, rainwater treatment and recovery; GreenWin, the competitiveness cluster focusing on innovation in green chemistry and durable materials

Concerning iCt, infopole Cluster unites iCt professionals to promote business and innovation through partnerships; mecatech is the mechanical-engineering cluster; Cluster photonique links companies and research centres involved in photonics; plastiwin focuses on the plastics industry; and tWist is the cluster devoted to digital technologies.

Satisﬁed foreign investors Foreign investments who are happy they chose Wallonia include emerson Climate technologies, a division of american group emerson. in 2009, the group opened a european distribution centre at Welkenraedt in Wallonia near its manufacturing facility. annick salami, Warehouse and Logistics manager, explains, “the proximity of Liège international airport has enabled us to optimise the delivery of parts and our distribution centre helps us to provide a professional supply chain for our european clients.” Foreign investors looking for opportunities in europe should put Wallonia on their “to do” list.

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historic racing Circuit and unforgettable meetings Venue the circuit is 7 km, 3 m and 95 cm long. the record time of 1’43’’726 was recorded by michael schumacher in 2002; his speed was 241,837 km per hour. exceptional driving, speed, record-breaking moments - Francorchamps has it all. Visitors can choose from a number of special packages that include guided tours, public driving days and test days. the pit Brasserie serves meals overlooking the circuit and the automobile museum showcases vehicles of the past.

a unique venue for events Spa-Francorchamps, which hosts the Belgian Formula I Grand Prix, has been thrilling car-racing fans since the early 1920s.

The circuit, conceived by Liège aristocrats, winds through

magniﬁcent scenery in Belgiumʼs Ardennes mountains around the towns of Francorchamps, Malmédy and Stavelot. The Raidillon-Eau Rouge curve, created in 1939, is one of the most famous in the racing world.

the spa-Francorchamps circuit has always been ahead of its time. Completed in 1921, the planned ﬁrst race could not be held because only one car showed up to compete. the circuit was used for motorcycle races until, in 1922, the ﬁrst race for cars was held. in 1924, the 24 hours of Francorchamps race took place only a year after a similar race was launched in Le mans, France.

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throughout its long history, spa-Francorchamps has maintained the highest international safety standards for Formula 1 and endurance sportscar racing. the circuit has gone back to its roots with its sports prototypes and is looking boldly toward the future and new innovations. at the crossroads of europe, spa-Francorchamps drives the local economy and serves as a unique setting for unforgettable meetings and special events.

spa-Francorchamps is a unique venue for any kind of corporate meeting or special event, from a wedding to a product launch or a team-building exercise. the circuit’s events team is skilled at organising any type of event, and excellent catering services are available. spa-Francorchamps’ Vip areas offer a wide choice of ﬂexible meeting space for groups of up to 600 people. spa-Francorchamps hosts a number of prestigious races year-round, including the Belgian Grand prix, the World series by renault, the 1,000 Km, the total 24 hours, the spa six hours, the rmu Classic, the Bikers Classic, the BtCs 12 hours and more. the luxurious eau rouge hotel offers luxurious accommodations for visitors. spa-Francorchamps is an unforgettable destination in the ardennes.

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province of namur

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namur: Dynamic ‘smart’ City Known for innovation of Wallonia at the crossroads of the Brussels-Luxembourg and Charleroi-Liège transport routes and at the junction of two rivers. namur has long been known as a hub for services, innovation and research and is at the forefront of developments in iCt, biotechnology and nanotechnologies. We are only 45 minutes from three airports and the city is very popular for conferences. namur is the capital of Wallonia and many companies have moved here from Brussels because they ﬁnd Namur a better place to do business. European Times: What are your goals for Namur’s future? Maxime Prévot: i want namur to be a city of tomorrow, always at the forefront of innovation and creativity. emerging cities around the world are ones which have bet on creativity and boldness. We want namur to be a dynamic, “smart” city which continues to build on its strengths: its highly educated human resources, well-developed research activities, many smes, strategic location and advanced infrastructure. namur was also named Belgium’s most sustainable city in 2012. European Times: Why investors come to Namur?

Maxime Prévot, Mayor of Namur, the capital of Wallonia, discusses his key goals for his city.

European Times: Could you give us a brief history of Namur? Maxime Prévot: namur is a very old town; we recently celebrated the 800th anniversary of our town hall, one of our many historic landmarks, and our university is centuries-old as well. our citadel was designed by Vauban and we have a bell tower which is a unesCo World heritage site. the city is strategically located in the heart

should

international

Maxime Prévot: We have focused on strong international relations and namur is now the anchor point in Wallonia for 15 asian countries, including emerging countries. We also participate in international trade fairs in order to have the highest proﬁle. Our policy concerning the international market is not very aggressive but i am working to improve it. European Times: What is your vision for Namur 10 years from now? Maxime Prévot: namur will continue to be a city which combines a long history and 21st-century attitudes. it will be the headquarters of even more multinationals and will offer outstanding work opportunities and social services. For investors, namur will continue to provide exceptional competitive advantages and a quality of life not found elsewhere.

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Wallonia - province sector of namur

Wallonia’s thriving Capital Namur, the capital of Wallonia since 1986, is

a dynamic base for business and tourism. The city has around 3.5 million inhabitants and is the home of the Walloon government.

strategically located where the sambre and meuse rivers join and within easy reach of markets throughout europe, namur has developed a diverse economy made up mainly of small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employed entrepreneurs. namur’s main economic sector is services, accounting for 75% of the city’s business revenues. industrial activities thrive in namur as well, including foodprocessing, quarries and the production of building materials, metal-working and the production of machinery and metal items, chemicals, glass production, iCt and computer technologies, and lumber. namur, a short trip from Brussels, also has a very successful tourism sector thanks to the city’s historic, cultural and natural attractions. top sites include namur Citadel, one of the most impressive fortified structures in europe; the Felicien rops museum, in the heart of old namur in a 19th century residence; and the museum of ancient namur arts, housed in an elegant 18th century residence, which showcases medieval and renaissance paintings, sculptures, silver, glass and embroideries from the days when namur was known throughout europe for its arts.

ideal base for business the city welcomes new investors and has established 28 industrial parks geared to small businesses as well as other industrial and business parks, a science park and a river port. namur has been chosen as the headquarters of many young companies.

namur is a regional education hub and its higher-education institutions partner with the private sector in research activities. the city’s universities and other advanced educational institutions include the haute ecole albert Jacquard (heaJ); the haute ecole namur-Liège-Luxembourg (henaLLuX), formed from the merger of the renowned haute ecole de namur (henam) and the haute ecole Blaise pascal (heBp); the haute ecole de la province de namur (hepn); the institut supérieur industriel agronomique (isla, focusing on the agro-industrial sector); the institut supérieur de musique et de pedagogie (imep), focusing on music and education; Gembloux agro Biotech university (uLg); and the Facultés universitaires notre-Dame de la paix (FunDp). namur is very internationally oriented and has established partnerships with cities and regions all over the world, including Bourg-en-Bresse (France), pécs (hungary), Clujnapoca (romania), Korolyvov (russia), tierp (sweden), Quebec (Canada) and hue (Vietnam). these partnerships range from business projects to human-resources sharing, student exchanges, cultural and tourism initiatives, research efforts and others.

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province of LiĂ¨ge

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Wallonia - province of Liège

Liège Governor highlights province’s investment appeal been to reinforce our security measures in line with a 2006 law designed to maintain the highest standards throughout the province. this followed an accident in 2004 which was caused by a failure to meet required standards. i am very proud that i have been able to strengthen our standards and security. European Times: What makes Liège unique? Michel Foret: historically, Liège’s success has been based on two main factors: the meuse river, a key transport route for centuries, and our minerals resources, particularly coal, which fostered our strong industrial sector. When the mines were closed, Liège proved more ﬂexible than other parts of Belgium in adapting to new conditions and developing a new economy. We have built on our strategic location to make Liège a thriving air-transport and high-speed-rail hub. We have also focused on our university and our research activities, and today Liège is very strong in space technology and biotechnology. Liège is also known for its rich cultural heritage. European Times: How important is the tourism sector for Liège?

Michel Foret, Governor of Liège, discusses the provinceʼs long history and vibrant future.

European Times: What are your main responsibilities as governor? Michel Foret: as governor, my main task is to promote unity among different factions. a governor must remain apolitical and bring together all types of organisations and groups. i also serve as a representative of Liège during ofﬁcial visits. One of my most important tasks is to ensure security and order. one of my main accomplishments has

Michel Foret: the First World War began in Liège and in august 2014 we will host many events related to the war. We anticipate many international visitors for these events, particularly British tourists. Liège is easily reached from the uK so the British tourism market is especially important for us. We have made many efforts to improve our tourism infrastructure in order to be able to accommodate a rise in visitors but there is still much to be done to keep up with our growing tourism industry. European Times: What is your personal message to visitors and investors around the world? Michel Foret: i welcome you to Liège! Liège is like a good wine; nothing is better than to appreciate it for yourself, and we are waiting for you. When you see all the opportunities Liège offers, you will not believe your eyes. the province of Liège will be your paradise.

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The city of Liège, with a population of 190,000

(600,000 counting the entire urban area), is a business, research and education powerhouse.

Liège is the home of the third-largest river port

in Europe, the eighth-largest European freight airport, a station on the high-speed TGV train line, direct connections to six major European

motorways, and waterway links to Antwerp, Rotterdam and the Rhine via the Albert Canal, the Meuse River and the Juliana Canal.

the city also enjoys a very strategic location less than 20 km from the netherlands and a little more than 40 km from Germany. Known as the eastern “gateway of Brussels”, Liège is set at the heart of the meuse-rhine euroregion, a cross-border area which also includes the cities of aachen, hasselt, heerlen and maastricht. Companies based in Liège are able to reach 60% of the eu’s purchasing power within a 500-km radius. thanks to these advantages, Liège is the headquarters of many leaders in their fields, including aB inBev, mittal, umicore, Fn herstal, techspace aero, eVs Broadcast, amos, eurogentec and more.

Cutting-edge skills centres Liège has developed skills centres in several cutting-edge sectors, including aeronautics, metallurgy and mechanics, space, bio-technology, iCt and agriculture/food. aquapôle, on the campus of Liège’s sart tilman university, is a centre for research, development and expertise in water sciences. the Liège space Centre focuses on space research, while autopôle near the spa Francorchamps racing circuit is a skills centre dedicated to training in the technology of motor sports, new engines and industry. the Liège image Cluster is a federation of audiovisual and especially ﬁlm companies from all over the world, while Logistic in Wallonia, at the university of Liège, focuses on transport and logistics.

Liège has a very business-friendly local government and welcomes investors. exceptional business locations include the agri-Food Zone, trilogiport at the river port, the umicore business park, the Val Benoît urban-activity park, and development areas around the new tGV train station. the university of Liège is one of the city’s main strengths. Founded over 200 years ago, the university is well known for teaching, research and innovation. it has around 18,000 students, almost a quarter of them from abroad, as well as 2,800 teachers and researchers. the university partners with 600 institutions throughout the world in both teaching and research, and it has also fostered more spin-off companies than any other Frenchspeaking university. Liège has an ambitious development plan designed to maintain the city’s strengths for decades to come.

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Wallonia - province of Liège

historic university excels at private-sector partnerships The

University

Liège

centre

intellectual

reﬂects the cityʼs long history as

life and learning. Liège has been attracting students and researchers

since

the

11th

century, and the university, founded in 1817, continues that tradition. rector Bernard rentier points out, “Liège was known as the ‘athens of the north’ in the middle ages and became even more renowned when the Collège opened in 1496 at the very site of the university’s current main building.” today, the university of Liège is playing a key role in supporting Wallonia’s dynamic development. Bernard rentier explains, “the university has long had a strong reputation in the technologies, and we have always had a close relationship with the industrial sector.” in fact, the university has produced 112 spinoff companies and has been active in business-creation for over 30 years. Following a recent reorganisation to improve efﬁciency, the university has 11 faculties and three research councils. it is the home of the renowned GiGa applied Genoproteomics research centre, which employs around 600 researchers and involves the participation of the faculties of engineering, medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, biology and bioengineering, including biostatistics.

another of the university’s specialities is space research, and facilities on campus allow for testing satellites at very low pressures and temperatures designed to replicate conditions in space. “everything that has to be done with testing optics in satellite technology is handled here. institutions around the world send their optics here to be tested,” Bernard rentier explains.

Drawing students from all over the world the university attracts students from all over the world thanks to excellent research facilities, a strong reputation, well-established training programmes in local companies, and proven ability to place students in professional positions after graduation. already drawing many Frenchspeaking students, including from France, the university is currently stepping up its english and German programmes.

Looking to the future, Bernard rentier anticipates more partnerships between the university of Liège and the private sector. he says, “marshall plan 2 has been really successful in bringing universities and companies together, and i believe this trend will continue. i believe that the Belgian universities which will survive the current economic crisis best are those deeply involved in business and industry. through a new programme launched in 2012, the university of Liège is very active in revitalising Wallonia’s economy and i hope that we will get increasingly involved in projects which beneﬁt the local community, including those areas of academic excellence such as basic research and humanities that cannot so easily develop industrial partnerships” University of Liège 7 Place du 20 Août, A1 4000 Liège Tel: +32 4 366 2111 recteur@ulg.ac.be www.ulg.ac.be

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German-speaking Community

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master reGio

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German-speaking Community

Belgium’s German-speaking Community: small is Beautiful Welcome

Belgiumʼs

German-Speaking

Community, which packs a lot of investment advantages, cultural appeal and tourism attractions into its 854 sq km. With 77,000 inhabitants, the

German-Speaking Community, in eastern Belgium, is the countryʼs smallest oﬃcial area with legislative representation but it has very big dreams for its future.

the community has two main regions, one in the north, around eupen, which focuses on innovative industries and future business growth, and the other in the south, around Saint Vith, which has magniﬁcent forests and lakes and is developing its tourism sector. the northern area has a particularly dense road and rail network to support all kinds of business operations.

political autonomy the German-speaking Community was created when Belgium established more political autonomy for its regions and official language groups in the 1970s; German was named one of Belgium’s official languages in 1963. The community shares borders with Germany (nordrhein-Westfalen in the north and rheinland-pfalz in the south), Luxemburg, the southern part of the netherlands and Belgium’s Frenchspeaking Wallonia. For tourism visitors, the German-speaking Community is known for its high Fens nature preserve, the largest in Belgium. Covering some 4,500 hectares, the reserve has a varied geography of plateaus, moors and ancient wetlands which date back 10,000 years. the entire area has unique subalpine flora and fauna as well as its own microclimate. A true ecological treasure in the heart of europe, the high Fens reserve is being protected by the community for future generations.

Karl Heinz Lambert, Minister-President German Community

exceptional tourism attractions in addition to its natural wonders, the German-speaking Community is also known for its great food, from smoked ham and liqueurs to the famous Belgian chocolate. the region’s culture is also dynamic and colourful. set at the crossroads of many countries and language groups, the Germanspeaking Community is a real cultural melting pot which illustrates european diversity. in fact, the histories, languages and cultures of Wallonia, Germany, Luxemburg, Flanders and the netherlands all come together in the community. Dedicated to maintaining productive relations with its neighbours, the German-speaking Community is part of the euroregion rhein-maas, which has a total of 3.6 million inhabitants. the community partners in many projects and initiatives with other members of the euroregion. For example, the three countries in the region share fire-fighters, healthcare services and police forces. this dynamic euroregion of which the German-speaking Community is a part illustrates the benefits of European integration.

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sector

chances and challenges of the German-speaking Community were closely examined. on the basis of this study, strategic approaches and concrete recommendations were then identified through discussions involving key stakeholders.

ambitious development plan for 2025

Eupen

Focus on language skills the German-speaking Community preserves its German language heritage but also focuses on other languages. since the region has autonomy in its policies concerning education, its leaders determined that by law, children in the community must be taught French starting at the age of three. this is the earliest age at which a foreign language is ofﬁcially taught in any educational system anywhere in the eu, according to an eu study in 2012. the policy illustrates the community’s commitment to educating true future citizens of europe and the world.

the programme focuses on the German-speaking Community’s identity as a border region adjoining fast-growing european markets, an economic region with investment appeal and great transport-infrastructure links to destinations throughout the eu, a region for learning through innovative education, a region for providing top-quality healthcare and other social services, and a region which is desirable as a place to live. this strategic development concept, which includes 16 main projects and 48 sub-projects, has now entered the implementation phase. anyone wanting to know more about the many advantages of the German-speaking Community of Belgium as an investment target, tourism destination or place to live and work can ﬁnd a wealth of information on the community’s web site, www.dglive.be. Best of all, those interested in the community should come visit it for themselves to discover why the German-speaking Community of Belgium illustrates the principle “small is beautiful”.

the German-speaking Community of Belgium is now looking to the future. the community has devised the ambitious Living east Belgium 2025 programme, which focuses on attracting new residents and investment, protecting the area’s unique cultural and natural heritage, and setting long-term development goals. through this programme, the German-speaking Community raises and answers such questions as “What makes life special in the eastern part of Belgium?”, “What makes the region such a great business location?”, “What can we do to protect and develop these qualities?”, and “What are our long-term development goals for the region and how do we envisage our Community in 2025?” the programme was launched in may 2008 accompanied by a comprehensive stock-taking and regional analysis through which the strengths and weaknesses,

Saint Vith

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German-speaking Community

German-speaking Belgium offers Wealth of tourism attractions crossroads of Germany, France and Luxembourg, and this makes us very attractive to the wider european market, both for tourism visitors and tourism investors. We have an obligation to provide tourism information in German but we are also working with media resources over a wider area since our German-speaking market covers only around 300 km around us. We are doing our best to attract more tourism from northern France. another of our goals is to draw more visitors from the uK, so we are upgrading our marketing efforts which target the uK market.

“Access to our region is very easy, visitors and investors alike can count on a very warm welcome.” European Times: Are you open to international investors in the tourism sector?

Isabelle Weykmans, Minister of Culture and

Tourism for Belgiumʼs German-speaking region, discusses the regionʼs current and future tourism projects.

European Times: What are some recent developments in your region’s tourism sector? Isabelle Weykmans: We have been optimising our marketing tools as well as our investment in tourism infrastructure. our travel agency, the eastern townships of Belgium, has been stepping up its external marketing and we have been working with many external partners. although our region is very small, we are in a strategic location at the

Isabelle Weykmans: private investors are very important to improve our region’s tourism infrastructure. the longest bicycle path in europe is in our region, the ravel, and it was created thanks to private investment. investments like these help us to attract more tourists. it was a great opportunity for the private sector to invest in our region and we still offer many high-potential possibilities for more private investment in our tourism sector. We will continue to improve our tourism infrastructure and will create even more investment potential. European Times: What is your personal message to potential visitors and investors in Belgium’s German-speaking region? Isabelle Weykmans: i think our region is very rich in cultural diversity. We are in the heart of europe and we understand european culture. access to our region is very easy, visitors and investors alike can count on a very warm welcome, and our food is of unparalleled quality. this is actually a region that you should discover for yourself, and we urge you to come for a visit.

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