Flanders’ social partners have urged the Flemish government to step up efforts to secure a future-proof industrial base, warning that the electricity system in particular has become a major weak point.
In advice published on Saturday, the Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) set out a series of current challenges and priorities for industry.
It said the Flemish industrial sector is changing rapidly under pressure from geopolitical tensions, electrification and labour shortages.
Related News
- SAF: Europe’s aviation industry looks for a way to make sustainable fuel competitive
- Sustainable aviation fuel: “Europe has a strategic choice to make”
- EU bank’s nuclear bet could solve a stubborn problem
According to SERV, the government must respond with a policy that adapts more quickly to these exceptional developments and to the vulnerabilities they expose.
The council said Flanders’ competitiveness increasingly depends on how quickly infrastructure, regulation, training and the labour market are aligned with new needs.
SERV singled out the electricity system as an urgent priority for investment.
As electrification accelerates, it said Flanders must continue strengthening resilience against risks such as cyberattacks and prolonged power cuts.
The region must also expand its own energy production capacity and improve flexibility, including through more careful investment planning and closer monitoring of costs.
SERV also called for greater investment in people and training, with a focus on technical and vocational education, dual learning, career guidance and long-term retraining that is also accessible to jobseekers.
A stable and predictable investment climate is also essential, the social partners said.
They argued that Flanders currently focuses mainly on the supply side by encouraging companies to invest and innovate.
In SERV’s view, too little attention is being paid to actively stimulating demand for future-oriented industrial production in Flanders.
“There is not only a need for financial support,” SERV chairman Frank Beckx said. “At least as important are sufficient electricity infrastructure, people with the right skills, efficient permitting procedures, clarity and legal certainty. That is how we create the right climate for our companies, which in turn generate additional employment.”
