Economy
The economies of Belgium and Luxembourg
have been unified since 1921, when the governments signed a Convention
of Economic Union, this is distinct from the Benelux Union,
which includes The Netherlands and the EU Belgium
being a founder member of both.
The country’s traditional industries of steel, motor vehicles
and textiles suffered from the recession in the 1980s. While important,
these no longer play the central economic role of the past, Coal
mining ceased when the last mine was closed during 1992. Nuclear
power accounts for almost two-thirds of Belgium’s energy consumption,
the remainder is generated from imported fuel products. Manufactured
goods and machinery are the largest export areas, with the major
markets inside the EU – including France, Germany, The Netherlands
and the UK. Belgium relies particularly heavily on export earnings
– 70 per cent of GDP is exported.
Successive Belgian governments have been keen proponents of the
process of European integration, including the introduction of a
single European currency, which Belgium adopted upon its inception
during 1999. The Verhofstadt government has managed
to reduce Belgium’s high unemployment level to around 7 per
cent, while keeping inflation below 2 per cent.
Business
Etiquette
Suits should always be worn and business is conducted on quite a
formal basis, with punctuality valued and business cards exchanged.
Transactions are usually made in French or English.
Business
Office hours: Monday-Friday 0830-1730 hrs.
Commercial
Information
The following organisations can offer advice:
Chambre
de Commerce et d’Industrie de Bruxelles
500 avenue Louise,
1050 Brussels
Telephone number: (2) 648 5002, fax number: (2) 640 9328, e-mail:
info.ccib@ccib.irisnet.be,
website: www.ccib.irisnet.be
Kamer van Koophandel Antwerpen-Waasland (Chamber
of Commerce and Industry Anterpen-Waasland),
Markgravestraat 12,
2000 Antwerp
Telephone number: (3) 232 2219, fax number: (3) 233 6442, e-mail:
info@kvkaw.voka.be, website:
www.kkna.be
Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce
Riverside House,
27-29 Vauxhall Grove,
London
SW8 1SY,
UK
Telephone number: (020) 7820 7839, fax number: (020) 7793 1628,
e-mail: info@blcc.co.uk, website:
www.blcc.co.uk
Belgian Foreign Trade,
30 Boulevard du Roi Albert II,
Boîte 36,
1000 Brussels
Telephone number: (2) 206 3511, fax number:(2) 203 1812.
The Flanders Foreign Investment Office (FFIO) is
an agency of the Flemish government and promotes Flanders as an
investment location for foreign businesses. For further information
contact FFIO, Regentlaan 40, B-1000 Brussels (telephone number:
(2) 227 5311, fax number: (2) 227 5310; e-mail: flanders@ffio.be,
website: www.ffio.com).
Conferences/Conventions
There is an extensive range of meeting venues throughout
Belgium. In 1994, Belgium was the seventh most popular conference
destination, and Brussels was the third most popular city.
For more information or assistance in organising a conference or
convention in Belgium contact:
Flanders-Brussels
Convention Bureau
Grasmarkt 61,
1000 Brussels
(telephone number: (2) 504 0355, fax number: (2) 504 0480, e-mail:
congres@meetingpoint.be,
website: www.meetingpoint.be)
Brussels International (Brussels Convention Bureau),
Rue de la Violette,
18 1000 Brussels
(telephone number: (2) 549 5050 or 5052, fax number: (2) 549 5059,
e-mail: mice@brusselsinternational.be,
website: www.brusselsinternational.be).
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