The attacks cost the Belgian economy 2.4 billion euros

The attacks cost the Belgian economy 2.4 billion euros

The Belgian Business Federation (FEB) has worked out that the Paris and Brussels attacks cost the Belgian economy 2.4 billion euros. This is according to a study published in Le Soir, L’Echo, De Tijd and Het Laatste Nieuws on Saturday.

A year after the Paris attacks and eight months after the Brussels attacks, the FEB used data regarding the four sectors most badly hit – catering, trade, events, air transport – to come up with figures to show how these events affected the Belgian economy. It showed a 2.4 billion euro drop between the 15th of November 2015 and the 15th of November 2016. That’s 0.57% less growth for Belgium. “We can’t accurately predict this data. It shows Belgium should have seen a 2% increase, which is an average for EU countries, instead of the 1.3 to 1.4% we expect to see now”, says the Delegate administrator Peter Timmermans.

“Because of the debate around Belgian growth, which is considered lower than other European countries, we seem to have forgotten this important element. Even if our government doesn’t talk about it, it is important”.

The FEB says professionals are saying things have picked up since the end of September. 

(Source: Belga)


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