2023-08-30 16:14:00
Walloon Minister-President Elio Di Rupo received his Flemish counterpart, Jan Jambon, this Wednesday followingnoon in Namur. On the menu for “warm” discussions between the two men – the first since the health crisis: the strengthening of inter-regional cooperation, particularly in terms of worker mobility, with the focus on a new cooperation agreement between the VDAB and the Forem, the regional employment agencies.
The subject is topical: last week, the Flemish bosses explained that they preferred to recruit labor in India and Mexico rather than in Wallonia where, according to them, the process is “too complicated”. As for officials in the south of the country, they want to discuss the regularization of undocumented migrants allowing them to work in sectors with shortages.
“The Minister of Employment – Christie Morreale, editor’s note – and I have been very much in demand by the owners of SMEs so that the undocumented migrants present in our region can benefit from a temporary permit authorizing them to work. We wish simply put this item on the agenda of the Interministerial Conference. No more, no less”said Elio Di Rupo on Wednesday.
In terms of intra-Belgian worker mobility, “progress has been made in recent years, but there is still room for improvement”, continued the two minister-presidents. Currently, some 45,000 Walloons work in Flanders and 22,000 Flemings in Wallonia.
To strengthen this movement and while Flanders is faced with a labor shortage, the Walloon and Flemish Ministers of Employment will soon propose the signing of a new cooperation agreement between Forem and VDAB. The latter will notably include quantified objectives to be achieved and will plead for more responsiveness. “We have the political will to go further. The Forem must have the operational will to move forward”, a pointe Elio Di Rupo.
“This agreement will aim to better identify the needs of Flemish and Walloon companies, to ensure better transmission of job offers and to increase the employment rate of the two regions”he added, pointing out “special attention” which will be brought to the learning of Dutch in Wallonia.
The two officials also discussed the Belgian presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2024. During this period, Jan Jambon will chair the Council of European Ministers of Culture and Elio Di Rupo that of European Ministers responsible for Cohesion Policy.
“Given the growing importance of European politics, it is crucial for Flanders and Wallonia that the regions have enough say in matters affecting their competences”, further indicated the Walloon Minister-President.
The latter finally called for “we stop the logic of confrontation between the two Regions” to prefer him “a logic of respect and consultation”. “We have a different vision on many subjects but we can also agree on important things”, replied Jan Jambon.
At the end of their meeting, the minister-presidents strolled through the streets of Namur, enjoying an ice cream and a beer, a photogenic symbol of harmony between the two men.
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