10 good reasons to invest in wallonia

www.investinwallonia.be www.investinwallonia.be

10 good reasons

to invest in Wallonia – Belgium

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

http://www.isn.ethz.ch/sw_images/240/NATOheadquartersNATO_l.jpg


PROXIMITY TO BRUSSELS, CAPITAL OF EUROPE

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.

BRUSSELS, GLOBAL BUSINESS CENTRE

WALLONIA

FLANDERS BRUSSELS



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






http://www.isn.ethz.ch/sw_images/240/NATOheadquartersNATO_l.jpg


AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMER MARKET

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

WALLONIA, AT THE HEART OF EUROPE


A DEVELOPPED ROAD NETWORK

Belgium has the densest road network in the world

Source : IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011


Density of the network – Km per Km²


A DENSE RAILWAY NETWORK

Belgium has the densest railway network of Europe



Density of the network – Km per Km²


2 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS

AT THE HEART OF A 400 MILLION CONSUMERS MARKET

"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.

Brussels South Charleroi Airport

Mill

ion Number of passengers

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

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





Liege Airport

Belgium’s n°1 cargo airport and the 8th largest in Europe

At the centre of the Amsterdam – Paris – Frankfurt triangle;

First European airport to focus its development strategy on air cargo;

accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;

European hub of the express courier company TNT

2 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS

Belgium’s n°1 cargo airport and the 8yh largest in Europe

At the center of the Amsterdam – Paris – Frankfurt triangle

First European airport to focus its development strategy on air cargo

Accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week European hub of the express courrier

companby TNT

Annual tonnage evolution

Number of passengers


4 fluvial ports including the 3rd largest European inland port

Central position within the most important network of waterways : The Escaut-Meuse- Rhine axis and canals linking the rivers



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.





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







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 www.investinwallonia.be

6. Fiscal system

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

23,7 27,4 27,7

24,7 28,3

34,6

28

05

10152025303540

Effective corporate tax rates

25,5 28 30

34 34,4 31 31,1

05

10152025303540

Nominative corporate tax rates





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






http://www.linux-magazin.de/Artikel/ausgabe/2002/01/euro/euro_aufmacher.jpg


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)

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



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%






4. Attractive incentives to stimulate Foreign Investments








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.



LIEGE SCIENCE PARK :

Surface : 100 ha

1 University

1 business centre specialising in the biomedical sector

1 business and Innovation centre

1 incubator

100 companies

CREALYS (Namur) :

Surface : 110 ha

4 incubators

9 business centres

90 companies

QUALITIS (Enghien) :

Surface : 18 ha

1 business centre

1 meeting and telematic

centre

3 companies in project

LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE SCIENCE PARK :

Surface : 231 ha

1 university

1 incubator

3 business centres

137 companies

INITIALIS (Mons):

Surface : 25 ha

2 R&D centres

1 business centre

1 excellence centre

1 technological incubator

46 companies

CHARLEROI AEROPOLE :

Surface : 120 ha, (96h dedicated

to companies and R&D centres)

1 biotechnology research centre

4 training centres in aeronautics

110 companies

6 SCIENCE PARKS

http://www.spow.be/en/lgsciencepark.pdf

http://www.spow.be/en/aeropole.pdf

http://www.spow.be/en/qualitis.pdf

http://www.spow.be/en/crealys.pdf

http://www.spow.be/en/llnsciencepark.pdf

http://www.spow.be/en/initialis.pdf

http://www.spow.be/default.htm



AFFORDABLE REAL ESTATE PRICES

Source: European Distribution Report 2008

BELGIUM €/sq.m/year

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

Rent QI 2008 €/sq.m/year

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








6. Industrial sectors, vectors of competitiveness 7. A positive environment for export and foreign investment





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

Click on the titles


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

LIFE SCIENCES : BIOWIN


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

TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS : LOGISTICS IN WALLONIA


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

ENGINEERING & ADVANCED MATERIAL - MECATECH


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

AERONAUTICS AND SPACE – SKYWIN


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

AGRO-FOOD - WAGRALIM


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

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES - GREENWIN









7. A positive environment for export and foreign investment 8. A productive, highly skilled, multilingual and available workforce




Source: Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency

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%)

EXPORT

A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EXPORT AND FOREIGN INVESTMENTS


15 FIRST MARKETS OF THE WALLONIA EXPORT

Source : Wallonia Export and Investment Agency

EXPORT

A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EXPORT AND FOREIGN INVESTMENTS


LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY


A PRODUCTIVE , HIGHLY SKILLED, MULTILINGUAL AND AVAILABLE WORKFORCE



A PRODUCTIVE , HIGHLY SKILLED, MULTILINGUAL AND AVAILABLE WORKFORCE










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


http://www.les-mutuelles-savoyardes.fr/images/metier/docteur.jpg



EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE


A QUALITY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

9 academies

9 university centres

130 higher institutes of education

300 research centres

6 sciences parks

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFEX


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

Stavelot Carnaval des Blancs Moussis © OPT-Jeanmart Chateau de Beloeil © OPT-A. Kouprianoff

Gastro_fromages © OPT-Snapshot (Jens) 2005 Velos © OPT-JP Remy














http://www.buyusa.gov/style/graphics/home_shake_hands.jpg


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.

VICINITY AND EFFICIENCY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES


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

VICINITY AND EFFICIENCY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES

EFFECTIVE HELP FROM THE FOREIGN INVESTMENT DIVISION OF THE WALLONIA EXPORT AND INVESTMENT AGENCY


WALLONIA EXPORT AND INVESTMENT AGENCY Namur Office Park

Avenue des Dessus de Lives, 6 B-5101 NAMUR-LOYERS


[email protected]

Tel : +32 (0)81 33 28 50 - Fax : +32 (0)81 33 28 69

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

10 good reasons to invest in wallonia

Documents