Flanders and Wallonia need to start getting what they don’t have from each other, according to the palace
King Filip will this month embark on another economic mission – to Belgium. It’s a first for royal economic missions, which normally take place abroad. The idea this time is to strengthen economic ties between Flanders and Wallonia.
“In the context of an uncertain international economic climate, resilience is essential,” said the palace in a statement. “Even more so than France or the Netherlands, Flanders and Wallonia are each other's most important trading partners. Each region possesses different, but largely complementary, assets and needs, which offers great potential for synergies and growth.”
Mutually beneficial
A significant majority of Belgian companies are active in several regions in one way or another, but there is still room for improvement, according to the king. “Where Wallonia has space and a workforce that are currently scarce in Flanders, Flanders offers expertise, investment capacity and logistical advantages from which Wallonia can fully benefit.”
King Filip will visit several companies on both sides of the language border. The themes that will be addressed include biopharma, defence, the circular economy and innovation.