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Belgium IN FOCUS
B E E R A CA D E M Y The world's first beer academy opened in Herk-de-Stad, in the Belgian province of Limburg, in 1999. Furthermore, there are 800+ kinds of beer there!
T HE H O ME O F PR ALINES Jean Neuhaus invented the pralines chocolate in Brussels in 1912. Belgium is a country with one of the highest consumption of chocolate.
NOT R EALLY FR ENCH
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Belgians claim to have invented chips (French fries), and indeed about all towns and villages have their own friterie/frituur (chips seller). So, pommes frites are not French at all.
Belgium is the country that grants the most new citizenships per capita in the world after Canada. It makes Belgium the first immigrant country in Europe.
THE FIR ST HIGH R ISE Europe's first skyscraper ("Torengebouw") was built in Antwerp in 1928. Belgium was a major industrial power at the turn of the centuries.
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Let’s Keep Working Hand in Hand Towards Serbia’s EU Future Serbia should be -and in many ways is- using the time to patiently and in a sustained manner carry out the reforms required to become an active and equal partner in the vast domain of the EU acquis. The priority preparations now lay in the Chapters 23 and 24
INTER VIEW
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rogress in terms of the Rule of Law in the widest possible terms, and toward functioning market economy, and a sound administrative and institutional capacity, are the three major pillars of successful preparation of Western Balkan countries for the EU. Since the start of the Berlin one of important factors is also constructive togetherness of the Western Balkan Six which cannot be played down to common infrastructure, says H.E. Leo D’aes, Belgian Ambassador to Serbia. When it comes to Serbia, the ambassador points out both to the considerable progress that has been made in the recent past and the future tasks. According to your opinion, does the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries seem closer today, after the announcement of the President of the European Commission? › The perspective for the Western Balkan
countries to join the European Union has always been very clear, despite recurrent speculations about this fundamental issue. I would like to confirm what I have said on this before. On the one hand, the capacity of the European Union to absorb new members, while maintaining the continuous momentum of an ever
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closer Union, is an important overall consideration. Hence the BeNeLux-view that different paths of integration and enhanced cooperation could be envisaged. On the other hand, today anno 2017, Western Balkan countries which genuinely want to belong to the European Union and to share and defend its basic values and political objectives, are being offered ample opportunities for implementing such a policy. The fulfillment of this so-called European perspective does not just depend on the repeated statements and the programs of the Commission or the Council, it is equally function of the commitment of the candidates in all sectors of the EU acquis. Commissioner Hahn was very clear on this, during his visit to Belgrade on 15th September. How Serbia should use this time – by majority understood as 2025 – to prepare for the potential membership? › Without pinning down any specific
deadline, the road to membership is very clear, and the gradual progress is measured in a strict and fair manner in the regular reports of the Commission. So Serbia should be -and in many ways is- using the time to patiently and in a sustained manner carry out the reforms required to
H . E . L EO D’A E S Belgian Ambassador to Serbia
The Serbian authorities are working hard at the streamlining of their public administration, which is a huge task but in which they receive valuable EU assistance
become an active and equal partner in the vast domain of the EU acquis. The priority preparations now lay in the Chapters 23 and 24, that is to say the rule of law and fundamental rights. Substantial progress in there has an immediate pull-effect in other fields of reform. Which security, political and economic issues, are the most important for Serbia to be tackled in terms of aligning national policies with the EU norms and practice? › The EU has always been very clear on
the basic starting requirements, as contained in the Copenhagen Declaration of 1993, which is still valid: the Rule of Law in the widest possible terms, a functioning market economy, and a sound administrative and institutional capacity. I would add to that, since the launching in 2014 of the Berlin process with the Western Balkans 6: the need to promote harmonious regional relations as a stepping-stone to EU accession. I already mentioned Chapters 23 and 24, which have a lead role in the accession process because they are fundamental and condition many other areas of the EU acquis to which Serbia aspires. Secondly, the gradual insertion of Serbia’s
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economy in the EU internal market is clearly a key to progress: a modernized economy can actively participate in the enriching trade and investment dynamics of the European Union. Whereas the periodic IMF reports on Serbia’s macro-economic policy are very encouraging in this regard, the micro-economic environment remains difficult for many SMEs, which should gradually become the pillar of the economy. Thirdly, I note that the Serbian authorities are working hard at the streamlining of their public administration, which is a huge task but in which, here also, they receive valuable EU assistance. And finally, when I mention regional relations, I do not just mean the normalization of relations through the Dialogue Belgrade-Pristina. I also include the wider range of regional relations with and between Serbia’s neighbours. The Berlin process is not just about building or interconnecting roads and bridges. A genuine spirit of reconciliation and cooperation should equally pervade this process, so that the Six together lift the region out of the past and move together towards the EU future. The force and impact of a constructive togetherness of the Western Balkan Six should not be underestimated in terms of accession dynamics. In which areas Belgium supports Serbia the most in the accession process? › Belgium has always been an active
member state in any accession process. In close consultation with the Commission and the other member states, we participate in the follow-up of the IPA programmes which are the basic support of Serbia’s accession mechanics. And that does not take place in a void: the Serbian Ministry for European Integration and the Office of the Chief Negotiator constantly provide us with their views on the way ahead, and in close agreement we then provide case-by-case support so as to make the step-by-step progress a living reality. Apart from the EU perspective, how do you estimate our bilateral relations? › Our bilateral relations are cordial and
dynamic. The Belgian Foreign Minister
was here again last June. The interest in trade and investment is steadily growing. In the ever-more important field of Justice and Interior Affairs, we cooperate closely in the very demanding fight against organised crime. I am happy to note an increasing exchange of musical talents especially in piano, guitar, saxophone, dance and choir, and that the Arts Academies of Belgrade and Antwerp have decided to cooperate. Our respective Universities are active in the promotion of two of our three national languages, French and Dutch. How are you satisfied with the dynamics of our trade relations? › From both sides we endeavour to ex-
pand the trade relations, with some success. The major enterprises with Belgian capital here stay or expand. However, taking into account that in the business environment for SMEs a number of uncertainties still prevail, overall expansion of our trade relations is slowed down. This is directly related to the degree that
REPORTS
INVESTMENTS Whereas the periodic IMF reports on Serbia’s macro-economic policy are very encouraging, the micro-economic environment remains difficult, and has an effect on the inflow of Belgian investments.
Serbia progresses into the EU-acquis of the Internal Market. Do you think that the government showed its clear commitment to reforms? › We all follow very closely the degree
to which the Serbian policies succeed in getting the country nearer to the EU-acquis -which, by the way, is not just a static set of standards and values but also an evolving conglomerate of rules and best practices which are, in our view and that of the member states, the best answer to the daily world challenges. I note that the macro-economic reports issued by IMF and World Bank are positive, which is of course a major achievement. Regarding the two other pillars -Rule of Law and administrative capacity building-, a lot of serious work is being done. We are all aware of the tasks ahead, let us await the next Commission Report on Serbia’s progress, and then on the basis of its recommendations keep working hand in hand towards our common final goal. <
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Serbia is on the Right Track Recent examples of good cooperation between Belgian companies and local actors confirm already observed opportunities for investments What do they see as its most attractive features, and what thy outline as the biggest challenges? › Positive attitudes of local actors are
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he BSBA sees itself as complementary to the services delivered by the Embassy and the Office of its Commercial Attache and strives to inform Belgian businessmen/women about opportunities at the market. We spoke with Mr.Hugo van Veghel, President of the Belgian-Serbian Business Association (BSBA) about the business environment in Serbia, Belgian investments and activities of the BSBA.
H U G O VA N V EG H E L President of the BelgianSerbian Business Association (BSBA)
According to your opinion how much the Serbian government so far addressed those issues? › CCIS is going through a period of
Are Belgian investors operating in Serbia satisfied with the business environment in Serbia? › We have some recent examples of good
cooperation between Belgian investors and local actors. Energy producer ELICIO (Nethys) got news headlines on the inauguration of the windmill farm Malibunar. In their statements the management expressed their satisfaction on cooperation with Government, Provincial Government, Local Government, financial institutions and local environmental organisations. They have now a second project on the way. A new Belgian company on the block is COPAHOME an expert in made to measure windowfashion and sunprotection. They are establishing a production line in a Free Trade Zone in Zrenjanin. The Belgian management team seems satisfied with the coorparation with and support of local official actors.
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perceived as very important as well as fulfilling commitments in delivering information and support in a timely manner. So far the official context seems to be beyond their expectations. Their challenge is at one hand to understand other external factors like business attitudes of potential co-operands or suppliers and finding the right skilled workforce at the other. But they certainly do not see this as obstacles, rather as challenging opportunities. Until now our investors have foreseen their own training schemes to get the right people on the right job but it would be better if this would only have to focus on real specializations related to specific production processes.
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LOCAL ACTORS We inform potential Belgian investors on local actors, possible obstacles but also on honest opportunities. More about our work can be found on our renewed website www.bsbiz.eu
change and its role in tackling such issues is also confirmed in their involvement in different projects like the one dealing with dual education. On the other hand we have the problem that in several areas quite some skilled workforce has left the country. J.Blockx from Bački Petrovac is faced with the fact that, this mainly Slovak municipality, saw their skilled workforce move to Slovakia. Measures related to medical, social security or salary increase will help to reduce or stop this process but its effect will take some time. In which areas businessmen look for support of the Belgian-Serbian Business Association? › The BSBA sees itself as complemen-
tary to the services delivered by the Em-
bassy and the Office of its Commercial Attache. Whatever is needed to know on legal issues, incentives, etc. will be delivered by them. But there is more beyond that. The local external environment is of significant importance. We inform them on local actors, possible obstacles but also on (honest) opportunities. Talking about training of work force we introduce them to existing centers for professional development like the ones in Zrenjanin and Novi Sad. Having that in mind, how do you see BSBA priorities in the future? › The BSBA is constantly developing
itself, adapting itself to the needs where it can be of assistance. This is not only directed to new investors of course. The accession process to the EU induces a lot of changes in legislation. We are following this closely and inform our members in different occasions on new developments. We want our members to be aware of this and keep them updated but we also want them to deliver more intensively comments and suggestions which we then share with the CCIS and the Council of Mixed Chambers (CMC). Are you satisfied with the level of dialogue with the government when it comes to issues businesses are facing in their everyday work? › As mentioned before, we are cooper-
ating very well with the CCIS and the CMC. Until now we had several positive joint meetings in which we had the opportunity to meet line ministers and heads of different departments. A good initiative which has to be continued, but also to be intensified. In general Serbia is on the right track and we want to keep it that way. Our renewed website is also aimed to support this (www.bsbiz.eu). <
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We Want to Connect Two Business Communities The real estate sector and various outsourcing possibilities in different industries remain in the main focus of potential Belgian investors. Our office organizes on regular basis events that are intended to bring closer the two business communities
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lthough the overall foreign trade between the two countries is increasing steadily every year there is always room for improvement, says Marijana Milošević Tufegdžić, Economic and Trade Counsellor at Economic and Trade Office - Embassy of Belgium for D&C. What lessons Serbia should learn from Belgium as a small but developed, open, internationally-oriented economy? › Belgium is a relatively small country,
but an important player in the international trade. Belgium’s economy has long benefited from openness to global trade and investment. Despite its size, according to figures of the WTO, Belgium was the 11th largest exporter of goods as well as the 13th major importer of goods worldwide in 2016. The experience of Belgium shows how economic success can be achieved with developed free market economy, a highly-qualified, multi-lingual and flexible workforce, many financial and tax incentives, affordable property prices, etc. Belgian business community in Serbia relatively modest, but it is present in various areas of Serbian economy. Which areas businessmen see as the most attractive and worth reinvesting? › In Serbia there are around 50 Belgian
companies currently active in different sectors: agriculture, food industry, ICT, metal processing, renewable energy. Our office represents all three Belgian regional agencies specialized in foreign trade - Brussels Invest & Export (http://invest-export.brussels), Wallonia Foreign
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Trade and Investment Agency (www. awex.be) and Flanders Investment and Trade (www.flandersinvetsmentnadtrade. com). We are supporting Belgian companies on a daily basis by providing them with a variety of information regarding the Serbian market, in order to raise the attention of Belgian businesspeople regarding the Serbian market’s advantages. As a satisfied investor is a country’s best ambassador, positive experiences of investors who are already active in the country help to attract new investors. We recently had important Belgian investments in real-estate/retail and renewable energy sector, but I would say that the real estate sector and various outsourcing possibilities in different industries remain in the main focus of potential Belgian investors. The overall foreign trade between the two countries is increasing steadily every year. Which industries contribute to that growth the most? › In 2016 Serbia was the 67th client of
Belgium (73rd in 2015) and the 81th supplier of Belgium (86th in 2015) .The most exported groups of products from Belgium to Serbia were chemicals, plastics as well as various machinery and equipment. These product groups represent around 50% of total exports to Serbia, while pharmaceutical products, textile and vehicles are also important. If we look in the opposite direction, food and vehicles are currently the most exported products from Serbia to Belgium. Serbia’s “red gold”- raspberries are one of the most exported products from Serbia to Belgium.
INTER VIEW
M A R I JA NA MILOŠEVIĆ T U F EG DŽ I Ć Economic and Trade Counsellor at Economic and Trade Office - Embassy of Belgium
What do you see as the major challenges and to what extent the Serbian government was capable to address them in the previous period? › Serbia has had a lot of challenges on its
path and has taken courageous steps to tackle these different economic and political issues. The country has made significant progress when it comes to macroeconomic stability, mostly in terms of fiscal consolidation .The efforts that the Serbian government has undertaken to attract foreign investors are visible, the legislative frame-work has noticeably improved with regard to the general economic environment, and significant steps forward were made in various fields, like electronic permits for construction. What issues do you see as the most urgent to be addressed in order for the investment environment to become more attractive? › Further efforts are needed on various
Next March, we will host a multisectoral delegation of Belgian companies interested in doing business with Serbia
structural reforms. It is necessary to increase the predictability and transparency of tax legislation, reduce the parafiscal burden, limit the shadow economy and reform state administration in order to reduce bureaucracy. It is not only crucial to adapt laws, rather also to improve the level of their implementation. The Serbian government announced that it will work hard on digitalization. Where do you see perspective for the Belgian businessmen? › Digitalization is a very important topic
and the announced focus on digitization will definitely introduce new and innovative models of cooperation between companies from Belgium and Serbia. The business operations in Serbia could be greatly facilitated by the introduction of more digital services and it would rapidly change the way we are used to doing business. <
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Old Industry, New Services Belgium was one of the first industrial countries in the world, and the pioneer of industrialization, but in time decided to transform itself from the biggest manufacturer into the biggest service provider ECO NO MY
FIRST IN INDUSTRIALIZATION The general notion is that Great Britain is the cradle of industrialization, and that the US is the leader in large-scale industrialization. The rapid industralization of Germany that was accompanied by inadequate colonial expansion compared to the United Kingdom and France’s, is generally accepted as the cause of the World War I. Nobody has even thought to throw Belgium, the country that was the leader in everything, into the mix. This small country, which served as a buffer between superpowers, was a force to be reckon with and was admired for its tram and railway networks. Belgium declared neutrality in 1830 which meant that the country wouldn’t have to worry too much about wars and armies, but rather focus on economy. Its excellent geographic position, at the time when the shores of the Atlantic Ocean were considered the centre of the world, transformed it into a maritime superpower. Belgium’s Hanseatic merchant past and knowledge in setting stock exchanges and managing money gave the country expertise and know-how. Today, one can argue that Kazakhstan is considered „the centre of the world“ and global events, since it is located in between the current economic superpowers – Turkey, Russia, Iran, India and China. Back then, it was Belgium that was the centre of the world and commerce. Thanks to the changes in the global economy, modern-day Belgium is more focused on service sector. SERVICE SECTOR AND CURRENT SITUATION People say that the main difference between German and Polish managers, on one side, who are more inclined to-
wards production, and Belgian and Anglo Saxon managers, on the other side, who are traditionally inclined towards services and relocation of production to cheaper locations, lies in the fact that the second group could not care less about de-industrialization because, true to their liberal spirit, they believe that existing things are replaced with new as soon as there is a gap. It seems that de-industralization was especially hard on the mining area of Wallonia and the north of England. So, it comes as no surprise that it was the Walloons who almost stopped the free trade agreement between EU and Canada. The agreement was subsequent-
ly adopted with a very narrow margin. Apart from a very good geographic position, some of the causes of such a high development are definitely a developed transport infrastructure, diversified industry, and extremely strong commerce. As mentioned before, Wallonia was de-industrialized with the disappearance of mines and steel plants. Now, the Belgian industry is mostly concentrated in the quite developed and very wealthy region of Flanders in the country’s north, which is also known for the highest export per capita value in the world. Today’s Belgium has
to import considerable quantities of raw materials because of the inadequate number of natural resources, and export huge quantities of finished products. Also, the liberal spirit from the time of the Hanseatic goverment led Belgium becoming an economically open country. If we consider the share that export and import have in the Belgian GDP, we can say that Belgium has one of the most open economic societies in Europe which relies heavily on the trade cooperation with the three neighbouring countries – Germany, France and the Netherlands. All of this makes Belgium quite dependant on developments on foreign markets. The GDP growth slowed down considerably in 2001 due to the global economic recession which was only a logical consequence of the vulnerability as the country depends on others and on the service sector. On the other hand, Poland or Germany did not suffer nearly as much. Also, the Netherlands, for instance, is considered an agricultural giant, and Belgium is not. As far as partnership goes, its main export partners are Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. < EXPERTISE
KNOW-HOW Its Hanseatic merchant past and knowledge in setting stock exchanges and managing money gave the country expertise and the know-how.
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Sophisticated by Reachable Annual trade between Serbia and Belgium amounts to EUR 560 million, which is quite impressive 2 0% COMPANIES OWNED OR CO-OWNED BY BELGIANS Belgium is an important economic partner of Serbia, as the annual trade between the two countries amounts to EUR 560 million. Our businessmen think and hope that the amount could be higher and that there is a room for trade increase. As already mentioned, Belgians have invested quite a lot in the Serbian and regional beer industry, and many of the Belgian brands are widely known and consumed in Serbia, while some are even produced here. But the Serbs also aim to increase Serbian exports to the Belgian market, and the biggest potential lies in the export of frozen fruit, as Belgium is the biggest and strongest frozen food market in Europe. There is an interesting fact, that was underlined during recent panels and forums, that over 20% of the companies in Serbia are owned or co-owned by Belgian natural or legal persons. The Belgian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Mr. Leo D'aes said that the aim of the seminar was to bring the Serbian and the Belgian economies closer together, as well as to help Serbia enter the European
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market as soon as possible with Belgium helping in advice and good practices. THE SIXTH RICHEST COUNTRY And what about Belgium itself? Believe it or not, Belgium is on the tremendous rise nowadays, after all the misfortunes lately. Namely, Belgium is the sixth richest country in the world; this has been confirmed in the recent edition of the Allianz Global Wealth Report 2016. This is also the official data from Focus on Belgium. The United States occupies the first position with net financial resources of 177,210 euros per capita, followed by Switzerland with 175,720 and Japan with 96,890. Belgium is thus in sixth place with net financial resources of 92,080 euros per capita. In 2000, Belgium was placed fourth. WHAT NOW? The value of external trade between Serbia and Belgium in 2016 was EUR 564.1 million (export 165.8 million and import 398.3 million). In 2015, the total external trade amounted to EUR 469 million (export 149 million and import 320
E C O N O MIC COOPERATION
Since the Belgians believe in free trade and seek diversfication, there is a chance for us! Let us not miss it like we did it many times before
million), which is a 5.4% hike in relation to 2014. In 2014, the external trade amounted to EUR 445 million (export 160 million and import 285 million). In 2013, our exports amounted to EUR 127.8 million and import EUR 262.8 million. These are all good indicators which show that even if some countries did not recognize Serbia as an important emerging market, Belgians did! About 80% of Belgium's trade is with fellow EU member states. Given this high percentage, the country seeks to diversify and expand trade opportunities with non-EU countries. The Belgian authorities are, as a rule, anti-protectionist and try to maintain a hospitable and open trade and investment climate. The European Commission negotiates on trade issues for all member states, which, in turn lessens bilateral trade disputes with Belgium. Well, since the Belgians believe in free trade and seek diversfication, there is a chance for us! Let us not miss it like we did it many times before. <
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Beer, Diamonds, Chocolate, Cartoons Actually, when we put it this way, Belgium is a wonderful place for children and, because of the diamonds, a girl’s best friend, as Marilyn Monro would say, despite the country’s miserable weather SPIRIT
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ack in the day, diamonds were a girl’s best friend. The analyses lhave shown that Millennials are the biggest enemies of diamonds. They don’t buy them for their girlfriends in the shape of engagement rings, and the girls are not too keen on having them. A segment of the film Snatch covers the diamond industry in Flanders that has been traditionally ran by the Belgian Jews. It is worth investigating whether the situation in the year 2000, when the film was made, is the same as the one in 2017. To illustrate that everything was not easypeasy, let’s just remind you that Concord, from the film, is long retired. Let’s jump to more joyful topics. Belgium is the home to the best choc-
olate and the best beer in the world. Let’s not forget the cheese too. Of course, we might disagree on this, but yours truly is a fan of this option, just like someone has the right to say that Feta cheese and olive oil are the best, or that there is no better thing that Paella and red wine. Back in the early 19th century, the Dutch chemists actually discovered the formula that makes chocolate hard. Chocolate, as we know and consume today, came about thanks to a Dutch man called Coenraad J. Van Houten who, in 1828, patented a hydraulic press for grinding cocoa beans into cocoa powder. The next innovation in the world of chocolate came when chocolate
was produced in the shape of bars. It was Joseph Fry who is credited with this invention. He used a specific mix of cocoa and the Dutch version of chocolate to make chocolate moulds. Although chocolate first arrived to Switzerland in 1750 thanks to Italian chocolatiers and chocolate merchants, the first chocolate factory was opened in this country only 70 years later. Half a century later, Daniel Peter, a butcher’s son from the Swiss town of Vevey, marketed the first ever milk chocolate in 1875. Still, Belgian chocolates are the best souvenir you can take from this country despite their exhuberant price (there are cheaper versions available too). If you are a beer fan, than you prob-
ably consider brands like Stella Artois, Leffe, Hoegaarden or Grimbergen synonymous with best beer. You will also notice that Serbia imports a lot of Belgian beers, compared to other countries, which only shows that Belgians have done so much in Serbia in terms of beer production, promotion and educating the consumers. And where is beer, there is always frolic. Of course, let’s not forget comic books – Asterix and his chubby friend Obelix, Lucky Luke, Gaston and Tintin – which are all Belgian. Along with Italian and American comic books, kids in Serbia and those around the world (well, adults too) had a more beautiful childhood (well, lives too) thanks to these comic book masterpieces. <
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BELGIUM
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We Agree that We Disagree Not so long ago, Belgium set the record in terms of the length of period without a government. They went without a federal government for over a year, and this might give us a clue as to what Belgians are really like CULTURE
ERMANS AND ROMANS G SHARING THE SAME COUNTRY Germans and Romans deciding, back in 1815, to form a country together without being ethnically connected in any way, but rather sharing only joint interests and the same religion (predominantly Catholic) might sound weird from our perspective. During that time, religion did play a dominant role which was quite understanding (during the Dutch uprising against Spain, the northernmost Protestant regions in today’s Netherlands were quite active, while, further south
you went, the resistance waned since the Catholic loyalty to the Spanish king was quite strong). The Kingdom of Belgium was created in order to put a stop to the British, the Dutch, the French and the German fighting to whom Belgium belonged (all of this resembles very much Bosnia sans the Dayton Agreement, but with a happy ending). The Kingdom of Belgium was named after an ancient Celtic tribe. The fact that, in the 19th century, the Germans thought (and behaved accordingly) that Flanders, the Netherlands and Luxembourg were just an extension of the German nation and the Plattdeutsch dialect, and that France con-
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CHARM
PEACEFUL MANNER They will „agree that they disagree“, and continue acting in a peaceful manner. In discord! Which, somehow, makes the country charming.
quered Wallonia many times in the past, prompted the aforementioned superpowers to do what they did. After all, the word ’Dutch’, in non-English, is derived from the word ’Deutsch’ which just shows that even the English considered, for a very long time, that the Dutch were actually Germans. Bearing in mind that the Flemish and the Dutch differ as much as the Valencians and Catalans or Germans and Austrians do (the linguistic differences are minimal, and the difference is lifestyles is noticeable but not overly), the only thing that was left to do was to create a nation that many called „artificial“, to the horror and the furore of Belgians (not all, though). To fuse the French-speaking Walloons with the Dutch-speaking Flemish seems, from this perspective, an explosive move, but, following the unfortunate referendum in Catalonia, Belgium is frequently mentioned as the next candidate for trouble. However, it seems that this trouble is having trouble raising its head. Luckily! Belgians could have sabotaged the federal government, argued about Brussels and the language in schools, and even sabotage the country until it splits apart like the Czech Republic and Slovakia, or Serbia and Montenegro, but one thing is worth remembering – Belgians are not prone to violence. They will „agree that they disagree“, and continue acting in a peaceful manner. In discord! Which, somehow, makes the country charming... Of course, in order to punish Germany after the World War I, someone remem-
bered to secede the Eupen region and give it to Belgium, which resulted in a third language group being added to the mix, just to make it even more fun. ART ABOVE ALL We should definitely not forget the art. Maybe we are more prone to associate Brussels with NATO or the EU administration and its grey pencil pushers, but one should bear the following in mind – Belgium is a country that has contributed greately to development of arts. The period of the early Dutch painting (the so-called Flemish primitives), the Flemish Renaissance and Baroque, as well as the architecture of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods were considered especially fruitful. Belgium was one of the Renaissance centres in 15th and 16th century. Brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck (let’s all think for a moment of a joke that every single person in their paintings looks like Vladimir Putin), Hieronymus Bosch (known for his terribly grotesque visions), Rogier van der Weyden and Pieter Bruegel the Elder were the most famous painters from this period. The most prominent Baroque painters (17th century) were Peter Paul Rubens (how can we forget the ample curves of the Rubenesque beauties which, according to today’s standards of beauty, would be considered pretty only in Africa) and Anthony van Dyck. Still, we would like to think of Belgium as a country of the beautiful Gothic and Baroque building fronts, beer and chocolate, all to be enjoyed in miserable weather. <
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Melancholy Married to Joi de Vivre Belgians might be quiet and melancholic compared to their neighbours, hiding behind their kind smiles, they must possess a huge joi de vivre
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he most beautiful thing about a country when you visit it is completely opposite of what these countries would like to hear you say, namely that they are affordable, small, easy to cover traveling, and everything is short distance. Life in Belgium is certainly not cheap, but luckily this is a country where everything really is short distance (although they would maybe like to be a huge country). STRING OF PEARLS Beautiful cities are everywhere - Brussels, Liege, Charleroi, Spa, Ghent, Antwerp, Bruges... If you really want to go all the way, you might take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean, weather permitting, and enjoy in the long sandy beaches and high and low tides. OK, we are aware that, in this day and age of cheap flights and southern tourist destinations, even the Belgians are not too keen on their coastline as they were 50 or 100 years ago, but you have to admit that the idea is appealing. Most of Belgium’s tourism revenue is generated on its well-developed coast, or in the Ardennes. We should not forget that the first spa, that became hugely popular, was actually situated in a town
TOUR ISM
called Spa, near Liege. Subseqently, Spa became a generic name for spas and spa tourism in general. Of course, we should not forget the Flemish centres of arts, like the towns we have already mentioned, and the university centres like Leuven or Mechelen. These are frequented by culture-loving tourists, and by people who come to visit their friends and family members studying here. Yes, there are many business tourists in Belgium too, especially in Brussels. These are also politicians that are here to attend meetings and are using every minute of their spare time for a short trip or to have a bite of a goffre, a type of waffle that is similar to the Serbian version of the classic waffle (bakin kolac), which is considered a Belgian trademark. Of course, there are French fries (always served with mayonnaise) which, as we already know, have nothing to do with France. NUMBERS, NUMBERS Tourism in Belgium is actually one of the most profitable Belgian industries. The country’s accessibility, if you are traveling from other parts of Europe, make it a popular tourist destination.
Simply put, the country is close to everything in terms of the most lucrative markets like the US, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and France. In 2005, 6.7 million people visited Belgium, but since then, this number has grown exponentially. Most visitors arriving to Belgium on short-term basis come from the following countries, according to the Federal Government of Belgium.
Build it once, have it forever! Take care of cities. You will still remain a tourist superpower like Belgium – the country of many happy returns
EPILOGUE Build it once, have it forever! Take care of cities. Even if you lose all the industry and agriculture, you will still remain a tourist superpower like Belgium – the country of many happy returns. <
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Continuous investments by the Carmeuse Company in Serbia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; advancing lime production technology contributes to development of construction and metal processing industry With its continuous investments and implementation of new production technology in Serbia, the Carmeuse Company, one of the leading global producers of lime and lime-based products, has been supplying the key industries in the country while aiding their development. As a responsible employer, the company is also implementing European standards while work safety and environmental protection remain its priorities. With over 150 years of experience in the production and processing of high quality limestone and dolomite into lime, as well as producing lime and lime-based products for industrial and commercial clients, Carmeuse takes the lead in the world. Since its arrival in Serbia in 2013, the company has invested 9.6 million euros in the Jelen Do production complex, and continues to invest in safety and in raising production standards. While recognizing the potential of the Serbian market, particularly in mining, energy and construction, Carmeuse has successfully cooperated with close to 300 Serbian companies in the period of four years. The lime industry is particularly important because it provides a key raw material for businesses in strategic industries. Carmeuse is a reliable partner that regularly provides raw materials which are of essential importance for the stability of the industrial system in Serbia and the region. Carmeuse is also a responsible employer, which has over 4,000 employees worldwide, and which invests in education and training of its employees. Additionally, the company is progressively investing in improving work safety through the implementation of security procedures and education. Carmeuse allocates a significant amount of resources to the use of new technologies that generate incomparably less pollution, as well as in ecological projects that reduce overall pollution to a minimum. Investing in quality is one of the company's basic business postulates. The multiple application of Carmeuse products in some of the most important industries binds the company to constantly work on improving quality and increasing the longevity of its products. A stable and reliable supply system, products that comply with the highest European standards, and the availability of large stock, are the main reasons why Carmeuse is a reliable partner of the Serbian economy.