10 good reasons to invest in Wallonia

10 good reasons to invest in Wallonia – Belgium

www.investinwallonia.be www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1. Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe 2.

At the heart of a 400 million consumer market

3.

Fiscally attractive for foreign investment

4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate foreign investments

5.

More than 4,000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

PROXIMITY TO BRUSSELS, CAPITAL OF EUROPE BRUSSELS, GLOBAL BUSINESS CENTRE 

Capital of Belgium;



Capital of the EU;



Headquarters of NATO;



Centre of political decision-making;



4th in the list of the European business cities;



1,700 international corporations;



3rd most important conference centre in Europe;



World’s 4th Open Trade Economy;



2nd largest concentration of journalists in the world.

FLANDERS

BRUSSELS WALLONIA

www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2. At the heart of a 400 million consumer market 3.

Fiscally attractive for foreign investment

4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate foreign investment

5.

More than 4,000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMER MARKET WALLONIA, AT THE HEART OF EUROPE Trucking time

Inhabitants

GDP million €

1 hour

4,700,000

66,931

2 hours

17,800,000

277,641

3 hours

42,300,000

604,860

4 hours

58,800,000

954,390

www.investinwallonia.be

AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMER MARKET A DEVELOPPED ROAD NETWORK

Density of the network – Km per Km²

Belgium has the densest road network in the world

Source : IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011

www.investinwallonia.be

AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMER MARKET A DENSE RAILWAY NETWORK

Density of the network – Km per Km²

Belgium has the densest railway network of Europe

Source : IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011

www.investinwallonia.be

AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMERS MARKET

Brussels South Charleroi Airport

Million

2 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS Number of passengers

 "Aeropole" of 500 acres;  welcomes millions of passengers each year;  specialised in passengers transport (regular charter flights);  base for conducting tests by surrounding aeronautical industries.

Source : http://www.charleroi-airport.com/

www.investinwallonia.be

AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMERS MARKET 2 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS

Annual tonnage evolution

Liege Airport  Belgium’s n°1n°1 cargo airport andand the 8yh  Belgium’s cargo airport largest the in 8thEurope largest in Europe  At center of the Amsterdam – Paris  the At the centre of the Amsterdam – – Frankfurt Paris –triangle Frankfurt triangle;  First European airport to focus its its  First European airport to focus development strategy on air development strategy oncargo air  Accessible cargo; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week  European hub of express  accessible 24the hours a day,courrier 7 days companby a week;TNT  European hub of the express courier company TNT

Number of passengers

www.investinwallonia.be

AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMERS MARKET  4 fluvial ports including the 3rd largest European inland port  Central position within the most important network of waterways : The Escaut-MeuseRhine axis and canals linking the rivers

www.investinwallonia.be

AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMERS MARKET 6 MULTIMODAL PLATFORMS 

Multimodal platforms guarantee you easy connections with all the transport means.



Access to sea port areas Eastern Europe, South Europe, and Scandinavia is possible by road, rail, waterway and air!



Modulate your transport according to your needs.

www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2.

At the heart of a 400 Million consumers market

3. Fiscally attractive for Foreign Investments 4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments

5.

More than 4000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

FISCALLY ATTRACTIVE FOR FOREIGN INVESTMENTS Belgium is the place to be with its tax system and its interesting incentives:          

Ruling Notional interest deduction Unique tax features for R & D Expat status Dividend withholding tax exemption VAT fiscal unity as from April 1, 2007; bonded warehouses new tax attractive instrument for European pension funds; tax shelter for audio-visual sector (films, series…); etc.,…

www.investinwallonia.be

6. Fiscal system

Nominative corporate tax rates 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

25,5

28

30

34

34,4

31

31,1

40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Effective corporate tax rates 34,6 23,7

27,4

27,7

24,7

28,3

28

Source : Report 2009, made by ZEW (Centre for European Economic Research) for the EU Commission.

www.investinwallonia.be www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2.

At the heart of a 400 Million consumers market

3.

Fiscally attractive for Foreign Investments

4. Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments 5.

More than 4000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

ATTRACTIVE INCENTIVES TO STIMULATE FOREIGN INVESTMENTS INVESTMENTS INCENTIVES : UP TO 40%

Calculated, as a percentage, on the purchase of :  Building  New equipment  Intangible investments (patents, licenses, technical expertise whether patented or not),  road vehicles exceeding 3.5 tonnes (except in the transport sector) Calculation of the grant is based on various criteria :  Sector of activity  Size of the company  Job creation  Set-up location (in or out the investments zones)

www.investinwallonia.be

ATTRACTIVE INCENTIVES TO STIMULATE FOREIGN INVESTMENTS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SUPPORT FROM THE WALLONIA REGION 

Subsidy for Basic Industrial Research : 50% (up to 70% for SME’s)



Advance loan for Applied Research : 50% (up to 70% for SME’s)

INNOVATIVE FISCAL MEASURES 

Patent Income Deduction



Investment deduction for investments in R&D centres



R&D Tax Credit



Partial exemption salary withholding tax for researchers



Tax allowance for additional employee



Innovation premium



Expat status in R&D



Tax exoneration for regional grants



Accelerated depreciation of R&D intangibles



Deductible gifts

www.investinwallonia.be

ATTRACTIVE INCENTIVES TO STIMULATE FOREIGN INVESTMENTS EMPLOYMENT INCENTIVES The FOREM is the regional public service for employment and professional training.

Mission : 1. Management of public systems  Training Integration Plan (PFI)  Workers’ special training aids (adaptation credit)  Workers’ general training aids (training vouchers) 2. Recruitment Guidance 3. Social Guidance for Companies

Average over a 4 year period : 11%

www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2.

At the heart of a 400 Million consumers market

3.

Fiscally attractive for Foreign Investments

4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments

5.

More than 4000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

MORE THAN 4000 ACRES AVAILABLE NOW IN INDUSTRIAL AND RESEARCH PARKS MORE THAN 200 BUSINESS PARKS Are now hosting close to 6,500 companies and are creating more than 140,000 jobs.

www.investinwallonia.be

MORE THAN 4000 ACRES AVAILABLE NOW IN INDUSTRIAL AND RESEARCH PARKS 6 SCIENCE PARKS LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE SCIENCE PARK : Surface : 231 ha 1 university 1 incubator 3 business centres 137 companies QUALITIS (Enghien) : Surface : 18 ha 1 business centre 1 meeting and telematic centre 3 companies in project CHARLEROI AEROPOLE :

INITIALIS (Mons):

LIEGE SCIENCE PARK :

CREALYS (Namur) :

Surface : 120 ha, (96h dedicated

Surface : 25 ha

Surface : 100 ha

Surface : 110 ha

to companies and R&D centres)

2 R&D centres

1 University

4 incubators

1 biotechnology research centre

1 business centre

9 business centres

4 training centres in aeronautics

1 excellence centre

1 business centre specialising in the biomedical sector

110 companies

1 technological incubator 46 companies

90 companies

1 business and Innovation centre 1 incubator 100 companies

www.investinwallonia.be

MORE THAN 4000 ACRES AVAILABLE NOW IN INDUSTRIAL AND RESEARCH PARKS AFFORDABLE REAL ESTATE PRICES BELGIUM

€/sq.m/year

Rent QI 2008 Belgium

35 to 50

France

41 to 52

Netherlands

55 to 95

Germany

57 to 78

UK

70 to 165

Italy

60 to 64

Spain

87 to 102

Location

Rent QI 2008

Land Prices

Building Costs

Brussels

50

190

300

Antwerp

42

105

300

Ghent

35

85

300

Liege

35

42

300

Limburg province (Hasselt)

35

35

300

Hainaut province (Charleroi)

35

30

300

Paris

52

50

500

Berlin

60

100

550

Amsterdam

70

275

450

€/sq.m/year

Source: European Distribution Report 2008

www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2.

At the heart of a 400 Million consumers market

3.

Fiscally attractive for Foreign Investments

4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments

5.

More than 4000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6. Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness 7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

INDUSTRIAL SECTORS, VECTORS OF COMPETITIVENESS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE “MARSHALL PLAN”, CENTERS OF COMPETITIVENESS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE FOLLOWING SECTORS OF EXCELLENCE:

AERONAUTICS & SPACE INDUSTRY AGRO-FOOD ENGINEERING & ADVANCED MATERIALS LIFE SCIENCES TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES www.investinwallonia.be Click on the titles

LIFE SCIENCES : BIOWIN BIOWIN’S OBJECTIVES ARE  to develop and market new therapeutic and diagnostic products in three priority fields: cancer, inflammation and brain diseases.  to develop new biomarkers, new predictive models and new drug-delivery systems,  To identify new molecules with potential therapeutic uses.

www.biowin.org www.investinwallonia.be

TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS : LOGISTICS IN WALLONIA LOGISTICS IN WALLONIA HAS IDENTIFIED THREE DEVELOPMENT AXES:  Promoting logistics externally, and managing the setting up of European distribution centers;  Developing and disseminating knowledge through training;  Cross-sector networking involving all the Wallonia bodies operating in the fields of transport and logistics.

www.logisticsinwallonia.be www.investinwallonia.be

ENGINEERING & ADVANCED MATERIAL - MECATECH

MECATECH CLUSTER PROJECTS ARE GROUPED ALONG FOUR STRATEGIC AXES:  future materials and surfaces, specifically the development of nanotechnologies;  global forming technologies;  microtechnologies and mechatronics;  intelligent (reliable) maintenance.

www.polemecatech.be www.investinwallonia.be

AERONAUTICS AND SPACE – SKYWIN

THE STRATEGIC FOCUS OF THE WALLONIA AIR AND SPACE INDUSTRY LIES ON THREE AXES:  More composites: replace metallic materials with composites that are lighter, last longer and have less impact on the environment;  More intelligence: to meet market requirements more effectively;  More applications and services: provide solutions to the problems of tomorrow.

www.skywin.be www.investinwallonia.be

AGRO-FOOD - WAGRALIM THREE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS HAVE BEEN DEFINED:  to develop a culture of innovation, with products that add more value  to boost profitability by fostering integration and sustainability  to increase the production capacity and size of businesses by positioning them in growing markets and by expanding their capacities and sales skills.

www.wagralim.be www.investinwallonia.be

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES - GREENWIN PRIORITY AREAS :  sustainable chemistry and sustainable materials (including sustainable building materials)  energy field (by bolstering the existing cluster)  waste in its widest sense (in particular CO2 capture and storage)

www.greenwin.be www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2.

At the heart of a 400 Million consumers market

3.

Fiscally attractive for Foreign Investments

4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments

5.

More than 4000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7. A positive environment for export and foreign investment 8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EXPORT AND FOREIGN INVESTMENTS EXPORT Export trends (1996-2011)  Average growth rate for Wallonia: +7,2% 

Germany (+7,1%)



Wallonia (+7,0%)



Netherlands (+7,0%)



Flanders (+6,4%)



UE15 (+6,0%)



France (+4,7%)

Source: Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency

www.investinwallonia.be

A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EXPORT AND FOREIGN INVESTMENTS EXPORT

15 FIRST MARKETS OF THE WALLONIA EXPORT

Source : Wallonia Export and Investment Agency

www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2.

At the heart of a 400 Million consumers market

3.

Fiscally attractive for Foreign Investments

4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments

5.

More than 4000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

A PRODUCTIVE , HIGHLY SKILLED, MULTILINGUAL AND AVAILABLE WORKFORCE LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Source : IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011

www.investinwallonia.be

A PRODUCTIVE , HIGHLY SKILLED, MULTILINGUAL AND AVAILABLE WORKFORCE

Source : IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011

www.investinwallonia.be

A PRODUCTIVE , HIGHLY SKILLED, MULTILINGUAL AND AVAILABLE WORKFORCE

Source : IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011

www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2.

At the heart of a 400 Million consumers market

3.

Fiscally attractive for Foreign Investments

4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments

5.

More than 4000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9. Exceptional quality of life 10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE

Source : IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011

www.investinwallonia.be

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFEX A QUALITY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

 9 academies  9 university centres  130 higher institutes of education  300 research centres  6 sciences parks

www.investinwallonia.be

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE

Source : IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011

www.investinwallonia.be

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE

Stavelot Carnaval des Blancs Moussis © OPT-Jeanmart

Chateau de Beloeil © OPT-A. Kouprianoff

Wallonia has perfected the art of living and therefore enjoys a very high quality of life:  appreciation of Wallonia history,  numerous cultural aspects,  emphasis on hospitality,  high density of fine restaurants

Velos © OPT-JP Remy

Gastro_fromages © OPT-Snapshot (Jens) 2005

www.investinwallonia.be

10 GOOD REASONS TO INVEST IN WALLONIA - BELGIUM

1.

Proximity to Brussels, capital of Europe

2.

At the heart of a 400 Million consumers market

3.

Fiscally attractive for Foreign Investments

4.

Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments

5.

More than 4000 acres available now in industrial and research parks

6.

Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness

7.

A positive environment for export and foreign investment

8.

A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce

9.

Exceptional quality of life

10. Vicinity and efficiency of local government authorities

www.investinwallonia.be

VICINITY AND EFFICIENCY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES The Wallonia government is committed to making Wallonia attractive to corporations and foreign investments through  the high quality of direct service available;  simplified administration procedures;  very short decision processes;  simplification of the procedure for setting up a company.

www.investinwallonia.be

VICINITY AND EFFICIENCY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES EFFECTIVE HELP FROM THE FOREIGN INVESTMENT DIVISION OF THE WALLONIA EXPORT AND INVESTMENT AGENCY  The foreign investment division of the Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency provides information, advice, contacts and solutions to foreign companies considering expanding business in Southern Belgium  Clients are treated on a confidentiality basis  Services are free of charge  Working in close connections with the Belgian Embassies

www.investinwallonia.be

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

WALLONIA EXPORT AND INVESTMENT AGENCY Namur Office Park Avenue des Dessus de Lives, 6 B-5101 NAMUR-LOYERS www.investinwallonia.be investinwallonia@investinwallonia.be Tel : +32 (0)81 33 28 50 - Fax : +32 (0)81 33 28 69

www.investinwallonia.be