Flemis exports gaining momentum

Flemish exports are slowly recovering after suffering serious blows during the global recession in 2009 and are back at pre-crisis levels for the second year running. Flemish businesses exports increased by 2.3% to a total of 217.8 billion euros during the first nine months of last year, after having climbed 11.5% in 2011.
“These figures confirm that Flanders is the economic driver of Belgium,” says Flemish minister-president Kris Peeters CD&V. “Flanders makes up almost 60% of the Belgian population, 70% of the GDP and 80% of exports.” Neighbouring countries Germany, the Netherlands, France and the UK remain key export destinations, with two thirds of all Flemish exports destined for the EU. The drop of 0.9% in exports to European countries is offset by the 4% growth in Asian markets and as much as 30% to the US. Therefore Peeters stresses the importance of the re-elected Obama administration keeping the economic recovery on track. Trade to Southern and Central Europe has also increased by 20% to 25%. Exports to emerging markets have also shown an increase, with Russia and Brazil standing at 23% and 19% each. Similarly exports rose to South Africa +15% and China +12%, countries which Peeters plans to visit in his capacity as minister of foreign trade this year. Trade missions to the US, Canada, India, Hong Kong, Myanmar and Thailand are also on the agenda. Exports to BRIC countries Brazil, Russia, India and China constitute 8.1% of all Flemish exports. In 2010 it stood at 6.9%.
With chemical and pharmaceutical industries remaining the most crucial Flemish export sectors, it comes as no surprise that the sector federation Essenscia co-organised an investment breakfast for an expected one hundred potential investors with the Belgian and Flemish governments during the World Economic Forum WEF in Davos, Switzerland. Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo PS and Flemish minister-president Kris Peeters CD&V will address investors during the breakfast meeting, to which Swiss scientist and adventurer Bertrand Piccard has been invited as special guest. Riccard is one of the driving forces behind Solar Impulse, an aircraft  that runs entirely on solar energy. The Belgian chemical company Solvay is involved in the development of the aircraft.