Unions and employers find common ground on tackling Belgium's budget deficit

Trade unions and employers' organisations have reached a joint position on Belgium's budget deficit, writes De Tijd on Wednesday evening. They call for a seven-year clean-up of the budget, but make no concrete recommendations.

The Central Economic Council (CRB), which brings together trade unions and employers' organisations, issued a statement on Wednesday acknowledging that Belgium's financial situation has deteriorated in recent years.

This was not only due to crises, the CRB says, but also to a structural increase in spending. Spending will increase even more in the coming years due to an ageing population and climate change. "Without policy adjustments, the fiscal situation will deteriorate even further," the CRB says.

"Without policy adjustments, the fiscal situation will deteriorate even further"

The council wants Belgium's governments to adopt a seven-year fiscal adjustment period, and calls for an increase in productivity, employment rates and economic growth to eliminate the country's deficits. This requires reforms, but also productive investments in digitalisation and climate change.

However, the text contains no concrete proposals on savings or taxes, as the social partners do not agree on specific measures. They do want to see binding effort-sharing agreements between the federal government and the regional governments.

^{#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO LOU LAMPAERT}