2024-03-14 05:00:00
Are Belgium and Europe being definitively overtaken by China and the American continent in a large number of industrial sectors?
On Monday, bus manufacturer Van Hool announced a restructuring plan that plans to cut more than 1,100 jobs by 2028. Bus production will be entirely transferred to North Macedonia.
The manufacturer Van Hool also missed the market for De Lijn, the Flemish public transport company which signed with a Chinese manufacturer, BYD, for the supply of dozens of new electric buses for its network.
Also, we learned that the car which will succeed the Audi Q8 e-tron will not be built in the Audi factory in Forest but in Mexico from 2027.
Is Belgian and European industry behind China and American industry? For what?
In Belgium
Industry in Belgium has a great strong point: research and development. Spending in this area increased from €1.91 million to €3.37 million between 2013 and 2021. “We have an interesting tax context, notably with the reduction in professional withholding tax on researchers”underlines Clarisse Ramakers, general director of Agoria Wallonia, federation of the technological industry, at the microphone of Bel RTL.
Belgian industry is hampered by the costs of wages, energy and raw materials, and also by building permits granted very slowly. “The time it takes our administrations to issue permits to make room for new investments” is also a factor that slows down the industry according to Clarisse Ramakers. Current finances do not allow for mass investment. “Wallonia remains a small problem, and Belgium too, with a budgetary situation which does not at the moment allow us to let go of the investment aid floodgates for our companies”, continues Clarisse Ramakers. Belgium is counting on Europe to obtain investment aid.
The Belgian technology industry has nearly 16,000 (15,981) employers and 330,000 (329,886) workers. As such, this sector represents 10% of all employees in the Belgian private sector.
And Europe
European industry adheres to high social, labor and environmental standards. But it faces strong competition from China and the United States. It also missed some turning points including that of artificial intelligence and digitalization. “The industrial sector is a bit at a crossroads, no matter where you produce. Rather, we have poles that compete with each other and put up barriers,” according to Philippe Ledent, economist at ING. Europe would also be lagging behind in investments in the face of numerous technological changes.
The industry represents more than 20% of the European Union economy, around 35 million jobs and 80% of EU exports of goods.
Clarisse Ramakers, general director of Agoria Wallonia, the technology industry federation, confirms intra-European competition in the industrial sector. “There is starting to be competition between the different states in relation to the fact that the European Commission has made it easier to grant aid to businesses”she explains. “What we need to do is work at European level and create financing funds like the Commission did for defense.”
In other words, Belgian industry needs Europe, and the whole of Europe has efforts to make in terms of adaptation…
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