Belgian-Macedonian Business Club

The Flemish government hosted a meeting of the Flemish Industry Forum where the Flemish prime minister Matthias Diependaele stated that he does not want to “accept the negativity or defeatism” surrounding Flemish industry.

According to Diependaele, strategic choices need to be revisited, and more emphasis should be placed on the “general interest.”

Earlier this week, Voka CEO Hans Maertens warned of the “worst economic crisis in industry in fifteen years.” These concerns were central to the discussions at the latest Flemish Industry Forum meeting, where the Flemish government engaged with four key sector federations: Agoria (technology), Essenscia (chemistry and life sciences), Fevia (food) and Fedustria (textiles, wood, and furniture). This marks the sixth meeting of the Forum, the first to be held under the new Flemish government.

According to Diependaele, the Flemish government is addressing industry challenges in two key areas. First, the government aims to “restore the framework for all entrepreneurs to be able to do business better,” including reducing administrative burdens, reforming energy policy, and ensuring a legally certain permit process. Second, the government plans to “reexamine strategic choices to support industry more.”

Diependaele also stressed the importance of considering the general interest in policymaking. “What do we need in Flanders? Housing, agriculture, industry: they all put pressure on the environment, but we need it too,” he explained. “There should be no more conflicting advice from the administration. What weighs for which project? Some projects are very important for agriculture, others for the environment. The authority that has to issue the permit can then better assess the general interest.”

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