Creative Industries Belgium
Global Development Belgium at Red Yellow Blue (RYB)
Creative industries in Flanders
Flanders District of Creativity is the single point of contact for entrepreneurs in the creative industries in Flanders. Flanders DC is a non-profit organization, supported by the Flemish Government. We actively inform, coach, promote and inspire creative entrepreneurs who want to build or grow their business. Return on creativity is what we’re after.
> flandersdc.be
> Creative industries in Flanders (PDF)
De creatieve sector: tewerkstelling, omzet en toegevoegde waarde
Vlaanderen heeft een bloeiende creatieve sector zowel op creatief als op economisch vlak. Op basis van de meest recent beschikbare cijfers brengt het Departement Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie van de Vlaamse overheid de economisch impact ervan in kaart. Op dit platform vind je cijfers terug over het aantal werkzame voltijdse equivalenten, zelfstandigen, omzet en de toegevoegde waarde van de creatieve sector in het Vlaams gewest. Evoluties doorheen de tijd of op regionaal of sectoraal vlak kan je zelf ontdekken door je eigen grafiek samen te stellen.
> creatievesector.be
Economy
high income economy with strong but moderate growth; high public debt; aging labor force; low labor force participation of low-skilled, migrant, and older workers; strong welfare system; high congestion; complex business permitting and judicial systems
Belgium’s central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Service and high-tech industries are concentrated in the northern Flanders region while the southern region of Wallonia is home to industries like coal and steel manufacturing. Belgium is completely reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium’s trade is with other EU countries, and the port of Zeebrugge conducts almost half its trade with the United Kingdom alone, leaving Belgium’s economy vulnerable to the outcome of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU.
Belgium’s GDP grew by 1.7% in 2017 and the budget deficit was 1.5% of GDP. Unemployment stood at 7.3%, however the unemployment rate is lower in Flanders than Wallonia, 4.4% compared to 9.4%, because of industrial differences between the regions. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks that mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL’s center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium’s high public debt of about 104% of GDP, but such efforts would also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption.
The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium’s competitiveness, including changes to labor market rules and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but have raised tensions with trade unions, which have called for extended strikes. In 2017, Belgium approved a tax reform plan to ease corporate rates from 33% to 29% by 2018 and down to 25% by 2020. The tax plan also included benefits for innovation and SMEs, intended to spur competitiveness and private investment.