KATHARINA DESMET Economic and Commercial Attaché for the Flemish Region, Consulate General of Belgium
BELGIAN FLEMISH REGION
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Could you give us general information about the Flemish Region of Belgium? Belgium consists of 3 administrative regions: Brussels, Flemish Region (Flanders) and Walloon Region (Wallonia). Flanders is situated in the north of Belgium, its people speak Flemish. 75% of the Belgian industry is in this region and 80% of the export is made from this region. Flanders also provides 60% of the Gross Domestic Product. The capital of the Flemish Region is Brussels which is also the administrative center of the European Union and hosts NATO and hundreds of European international companies and back-office operations. What are the principal dynamics of the Flemish Region? Flemish Region is a very dynamic one, situated in a strategic position in the hearth of Europe. During the last centuries, the trade of fabric and textile products was the most important commercial activity in this region. Bruges accommodated the first stock exchange in Europe. And it was also a leading actor in Hansa Union. Cartographers like Mercator, medical scientists like Vesalius and great artists like Rubens, Van Dyck, Van Eyck and Breughels are from our region. Today, in addition to the luxurious-segment diamond trade, fashion, textile, special chocolate production and thousands years old brewing tradition, currently automotive, life sciences, chemicals, plastics, logistics and food industries are the leading industries of the region. Could you give information about the trade between Belgium and Turkey? As of the end of 2005, the total trade between the two countries was 4.5 billions of Euros. The export of Belgium amounted 2.6 billions of Euros and Turkey’s export amounted 1.9 billions of Euros. 80% of the Belgian export cam from the Flemish Region. We mainly supply intermediate products to the Turkish industry: chemicals (24%), plastic products (20%), machinery and equipments (18%). The principal items that we import are transportation products (15%) and metals and metal products (12%). In the first half of 2006, Belgium exportation to Turkey increased 13%, compared to the first half of the preceding year. A similar increase was observed also in the volume of our importation from Turkey. Could we have information about your office of commercial attaché of Belgian Flemish Region? Our office, which used to act as “Export Vlaanderen” (Belgian Flemish Region Export Promotion Center), merged in July 2005 with the Belgian Flemish Region Foreign Investment Office (FFIO) which gave rise to a single new institution called Belgian Flemish Region Investment & Trade Promotion Agency FIT). We have 90 offices worldwide promoting our region and providing services to both Flemish Region companies and to local companies seeking for cooperation with Flemish Region companies. What are the factors that make Belgian Flemish Region attractive for foreign investors? What are FIT’s activities about foreign investments? Belgian Flemish Region is in an ideal location in the center of Europe. The unique region stands out by its multilingual and highly productive workforce and its perfect infrastructure and ports. Our region is particularly a leading actor in logistics industry. FIT provides expert advice to existing and potential investors in financial, technical and implementation fields. Could you give some examples of your activities in Turkey? Based on our strategy, we try to focus on specific industries. This approach gives us the possibility to develop integrated business programs. In Turkey, we focused on automotive, food, tourism and construction markets. We have many activities such as market researches, information meetings in Belgium with a guest invited from Turkey and organizing business travels to Turkey. Of course, we’re not limiting ourselves with a few specific industries. During the last years, we played an active role in the promotion of our seaports. FIT will organize in December 2006’da a business trip of Belgian Flemish Region businessmen to Istanbul and Antalya.