Reaction to European Council (Art. 50) guidelines on the framework for the future EU-UK relationship – 23rd March

 

The British Chamber welcomes the EU and UK transitional agreement allowing additional time for a deep and comprehensive future relationship agreement to be negotiated. We also, welcome the UK and EU’s joint intention to achieve a post-transition relationship that satisfies the mutual interests flourishing between them.

We ask:

• the European Council to deliver a negotiation mandate which enables the broadest and deepest possible relationship between the UK and EU to be agreed,

• the UK to present, without delay, its written proposals for a deep and comprehensive future relationship with the EU27 as soon as possible, and that this proposal contain sufficient details on how trade between the UK and EU in each business sector will function, so that EU and UK business have enough time to understand how it will need to adapt and minimise disruption to customers, supply-chains and the workforce.

Golden Bridge Awards: Catch up with our winners

This year once again saw a host of brilliant companies as finalists in the Golden Bridge Trade & Investment Awards at the British Residence in Brussels. The evening celebrated the ever growing UK-Belux trade, with all our finalists showing initiative and success to make the UK-Belux relationship even stronger. The three 2017 winners, ALE, Les Carrières de la Pierre Bleue Belge and Renson have taken the time to tell us about their success as a Golden Bridge Trade & Investment Awards Winner.

Golden Bridge Award for Best Innovation in Export for a UK company

“When we filled out the application form we were not sure what to expect and throughout the process we were questioning how well we would do. Our client was convinced of the added value we could bring to the project in Zeebrugge, Belgium, but, was wondering whether others, not necessarily from our industry, felt the same way.

After being shortlisted we had the opportunity to present to the judging panel. This was a great experience, as we only had limited time the elaborate how the project had become reality. Starting with a simple request from our client we began adding additional scope and grew it to a solution we could not have imagined at the beginning.

ALE created a joint venture with two Belgian companies, ICO and Iemants. This joint venture combined its services to deliver an integrated solution that truly crossed bridges and led to success similar to what we have done, again, for the Golden Bridge Awards: The British and Belgians working together.

Winning the Golden Bridge Award for Best Innovation in Export is a wonderful achievement and a true dedication to the entire project team that worked on the project executed in Zeebrugge.”, said Yannick Sel, Sales Director.

Best Small and Medium Sized Enterprise

“We are delighted that our partnership with quarry Pierre Bleue Belge has won the 21^st Golden Bridge Award for Best Small and Medium Sized Enterprise, celebrating the export success of the world famous Belgian blue limestone (Bluestone) to the UK.

The award acknowledges the consistent growth Pierre Bleue Belges exports to the UK, currently they export 28% of turnover with 5% going to the UK. The judges were particularly impressed with the ethically secure supply chain, in compliance with the Modern Slavery Act and environmental factors as the quarry is less than 200 miles from London.”, said Alan Gayle, Director.

Golden Bridge Award for Belgian company

“Winning the Golden Bridge Trade & Investment Award was a huge honour, Renson’s UK Sales Director Bill Hayward says: “It supports Renson’s choice to expand into international markets, specifically in the UK. Renson invests heavily in innovation, communication and internationalisation, always with the focus on a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. The company entered the UK market over 20 years ago understanding the importance of the UK market to its growth. Winning the Golden Bridge Trade & Investment award proves that Renson’s belief in a strong relationship between Belgium and the UK is absolutely key to the success and growth of us as a group. At the same time, it reinforces our pride in our Belgian roots and emphasises our will to support local initiatives whilst respecting our company DNA. Having a local factory in the UK helps us to respond to local needs in a fast, efficient manner, being awarded for this cross border relationship takes our mark to a higher level both in the UK – where Renson can continue to build market share and leading innovation from the front, as we are proud to do in Belgium.”

The 2017 winners’ testimonials clearly show the value that the Golden Bridge Trade & Investment Awards initiative has for winning companies. Once again we congratulate this year’s Golden Bridge Trade & Investment Award winners and look forward to following their journeys.

The application process will soon open for our next Golden Bridge Trade & Investment Awards, which will be held in London.

For more information on the Golden Bridge Awards opportunities and how you can get involved, contact Alexandra.

Employment opportunities: British Black youth and the ‘ethnic penalty’

The persisting ‘ethnic penalty’ encountered by British black and ethnic minority within the employment market has been reported by a plethora of bodies, namely British parliamentary committees (i.e., Department for Work and Pensions), the Equality and Human Rights Commission, leading think thanks (i.e., the Runneymede Trust), trade unions (i.e., Trade Union Council) and so forth. The ‘ethnic penalty’ concerns the barriers to opportunities and discrimination experienced by groups of people due to their race and ethnicity.

Within this context of barriers to black and ethnic minorities and employment opportunities there is the question of the plight of British black and ethnic minority young people. According to a recent report by the UK’s Parliamentary Work and Pensions Committee (1), “There are stark differences in youth unemployment by ethnic group. In the year to June 2016, the unemployment rate among 16-24 year olds was 30% for black people, 26% for people from Bangladeshi or Pakistani ethnic background, and 13% for white people. While unemployment rates fall substantially with age for all ethnicities, the relative positions of the groups largely persist (2017, 11).”

 

Moreover, within this demographic is the ‘silent catastrophe’ or ‘moral panic’ concerning young black men, particularly of African and Caribbean background. Young black men have higher unemployment rates than all other groups of young people. The discrepancy between unemployment rates for young black men and white men has widened in recent decades. Essentially, young black men experience higher rates of unemployment notwithstanding their favourable educational attainment and regardless of their level of qualification. Moreover, black university graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed as white graduate (2).

The implications of this lamentable waste of “human capital” for the individual, families, communities and society is cataclysmic. In order to address the situation of Britain’s black youth unemployment urgent transformative measures are required which include:

• Robust data and knowledge gathering on how the intersecting aspects of ‘race’, social class, affects young black people access to employment opportunities.
• Government intervention which requires all employers and occupational training providers to set targets for the recruitment of vulnerable groups. Notwithstanding that all minority groups are affected by the ‘ethnic penalty’ in some form but for black young people starting out in life it is a major impediment. Thus, it is crucial that the government set the conditions for the necessary change.
• The need for effective penalties for employers found to be discriminating against black applicants.
• The need to give greater incentives to employers to recruit, retain and progress young black people’s careers.
• Monitoring youth programmes and apprenticeship schemes for their achievement and success in obtaining black young people’s participation and permanent job offered on completion.
• Promoting vocational educational pathways for young people – particularly careers advice and pursuing parity of esteem between vocational and academic qualifications.
• Setting priorities for youth training and employment: vocational qualifications and developing a diverse workforce.

 

There is a key role for employers to play in reducing the ‘ethnic penalty’ and they could begin this process by examining their recruitment procedures.

 

References:

1. House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee, Employment opportunities for young people 2017, Ninth Report of Session 2016-7. Published on 29th March 2017.
2. Wright, C; Standen, P; Patel, T. (2010), Black Youth Matters: Transitions from School to Success, London and New York: Routledge.

 

Professor Cecile Wright, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham UK, Highfield House, University, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD. UK

Golden Bridge Trade and Investment Awards 2017 – Last Call for Applications

Gain visibility and recognition for excellence in trade and export by applying for the Golden Bridge Trade and Investment Awards.

What is the Golden Bridge Trade and Export Awards?

The 2017 Golden Bridge Trade and Investment Awards present an exciting opportunity for UK companies trading or investing in Belgium, and Belgian and Luxembourgian companies trading or investing in the UK to showcase their bilateral success to an international jury and celebrate their achievements during an exclusive ceremony hosted by the British Ambassador to Belgium, Alison Rose at the British Residence in Brussels, at the heart of Europe.

The Golden Bridge Awards is co-organised by the British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain.

Fun fact: Belgium was the 7th largest export market to the UK and the UK was the 12th largest export market to Belgium last year.

Why should you apply?

Expand your international network, gain business and political expertise, receive recognition for your achievements.

The Golden Bridge Award opens doors to an international network and the connections businesses need to succeed both at home and abroad. Our international panel of judges from the business community are also affiliated with regional trade and investment bodies as well as embassies from the UK, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Winning a Golden Bridge Award will solidify your credibility on any of the three markets and will reinforce your pivotal role  in the economic relationship between Belgium, the U.K. and Luxembourg.

Previous winners of the Best Newcomer category, Orega, shared that the recognition for their export credentials gave them even greater visibility.

“It has sent the right message to our business partners based in Belgium. The award delivers to our potential customers a strong message, as we were new comers on the market.”
-Orega, Golden Bridge Best Newcomer Winner 2016

The award made a positive impression on their business partners with their improved credibility.

Bel’Export, 2016 winner of the Golden Bridge Award for UK business to Belgium, shared that the Golden Bridge award raised their company profile internationally as well as at home.

“As company you gain visibility, in – and outside the UK. It is a recognition for doing a good job.”

-Bel’Export, Golden Bridge Winner 2016

What will you win?

The winners of the Global Bridge award will receive:

• Visibility at the awards event itself.
• A one-year free membership* of the British Chamber. If you qualify under our SME criteria, you receive free  membership already if you are shortlisted as a finalist.
• Participation in our Golden Bridge Awards Winners’ Day programme in Brussels in January 2018 to celebrate your success.
• Your company featured in the British Chamber’s annual publications and in articles on our social media channels.

Apply now! The final registration deadline is 30^th September!
Do you want to be a Golden Bridge Awards partner? Check the Golden Bridge Trade & Investment Award page on our website for more information or contact Alexandra Trandafir at alexandra@britishchamber.be.

 The Gala Dinner for the Golden Bridge Awards will take place on Wednesday 22^nd November 2017 at The British Ambassador’s Residence in Brussels. The applicants will be shortlisted based on their financial performance, their innovation and strategy abroad, and their motivation for entering the awards.

*regular membership

Getting to know your Expert Advisors: AWEX

The British Chamber of Commerce works with a broad range of Accredited Service Providers to bring you the best professional advice for international businesses who are in or entering the Belgian market. This series aims to give you a bit of an insight into these companies; showcasing how they can help you develop your business. British Chamber members can book a free first consultation with any of our expert advisors.

This week, our team spoke to Karelle Lambert – Senior Area Director for Europe at AWEX; the Wallonia Export & Investment Agency.

What are the top-4 questions companies looking to do business in Belgium should be asking?

 1. Why Belgium?

Belgium offers a market of 10 million consumers but our country should be considered as a launching platform for your export activities in Continental Europe.  Indeed, within 4 hour truck drive, you may reach 60 million consumers with a high purchasing power.

Belgium is a perfect assessment market. Belgium is often used a test market by large companies, such as Coca Cola or H&M, to test new products.   Considered as neutral, Belgium is the perfect location to reach European key markets.

2. What is the corporate tax level?

Nominative corporate tax level in Belgium is 33,99%.  However, due to numerous tax incentive measures, the average effective corporate tax level is  26,3%.

3. What is the availability and cost of real estate and labour force?

Belgium benefits from a cost-effective office and industrial areas market.  Belgium offers among the lowest prices in real estate in Europe.  The same trend applies for industrial building as well as for equipped greenfield lands in economic parks.  Availability of office, existing facilities and large greenfield plots is high in Belgium.

Prime education and the use of languages makes Belgium the perfect place to develop your international activities. Belgian universities and management schools, among the top worldwide ranking, offer high quality graduates on the market.

The Belgian Government has taken several measures in order to stimulate business environment:

The Tax Shift Law provides for a decrease of the employer social security contributions from 33% to 25%. Eurostat statistics already show that Belgium has a substantially lower rise of salary costs than the other countries.

As of the 1st of January 2016, the current reduction in social contributions related to first hirings were increased in two ways:

• full exemption from employers’ contributions for the first hiring, unlimited in duration;
• reduction in contributions for the six first hirings.

What is one emerging trend in the business/regulatory environment which you would advise companies in/entering Belgium to be particularly proactive about?

The business environment in Wallonia is enhanced through the new Marshall Plan 4.0 aiming at:

• Considering Human capital as an asset and strengthening links between training and education,
• Supporting the industry development, in a technological proactive perspective, including ever more and better SME’s,
• Considering our territory as an essential resource for our economic development,
• Supporting energy efficiency,
• Supporting the digital innovation, integrating this new dimension within social and industrial practices.

Wallonia decided to strengthen its industrial policy and economic development through a clustering approach.  The Competitiveness clusters confirm the willingness to turn Wallonia into a competitive industrial area on a world-wide scale.  The clusters cover areas such as Transport & Logistics, Aeronautics & Aerospace, Sustainable & Eco construction, Green technologies, Energy & Sustainable development, Health & Biotech, Agro-food industry, ICT, Mechanical Engineering, Plastics processing, Digital industry.

Why is it important for new entrants in Belgium to speak with you?

Wallonia Export & Investment is the governmental organization taking care of Foreign Investors and we assure you of our total commitment to help you in your enquiries and steps to set up or develop in Belgium – Wallonia.  We may help you on different aspects including the search of real estate, information on the cash grants available in the Region, availability and costs of personnel, etc.  In short, investment and R&D grants, attractive fiscal measures, employment incentives are all available.  At any time, we may organize visits locally and have you meet key partners for your project. All our services are free of charge and treated confidentially.

If you’d like to organise a meeting with any of our Accredited Service Providers, or are interested in becoming one, get in touch with James Pearson – our Business & Trade Executive at james.pearson@britishchamber.be

Are you our next Tax, Finance and Legal Task Force Chair?

Our Tax, Finance & Legal Task Force is in search of a new chair. The task force consists of experts from member companies – in the fields of tax, finance, and legal matters – and aims to help chamber members understand the practical issues of doing business in Belgium, including new regulatory developments.

As our President Thomas Spiller highlighted a few weeks ago, the benefits of sitting in a leadership role outside of your organisation are multiple and potentially highly impactful; not only will it increase visibility for your company, it will also raise your personal profile and extend your network even further. As the chair of the Tax, Finance & Legal Task Force, which plans 8-10 seminars per year, you have a substantial direct influence when it comes to shaping the chamber’s programme of business events. Furthermore, you will have a seat on the chamber’s Business Development Committee where the high-level planning of 40-50 chamber events takes place annually.

Under the steady stewardship of incumbent chair Marc Quaghebeur (De Broeck Van Laere & Partners), the task force has consistently delivered high-quality seminars on a variety of practical aspects of doing business in Belgium. Recent seminar topics have included ‘Antitrust law for trade associations’, ‘International mobility’, ‘Commercial real estate’, ‘Pensions for the self-employed, ‘Data protection law’, ‘Belgian tax shift and international exchange of information’, ‘Managing a flexible workforce’, and ‘Brexit: what would it mean for my business?’ Furthermore, the task force launched the Expat Financial Affairs exhibition, now in its fourth annual edition, as a new flagship event for the British Chamber.

The task force consists of experts from member companies in the fields of tax, finance, and legal matters – current members represented include: De Boeck Van Laere & Partners, The Fry Group Belgium, BDO, ING, White & Case, Eryv, PwC, BNP Paribas Fortis, Santa Fe Relocation Services, and Claeys & Engels.

Applications will close on 24 June, so if you think this role might be the next leadership step for you, please do get in touch with me at glenn@britishchamber.be for an informal conversation about the chair role and the selection process.

106th Annual General Meeting with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar

On Wednesday 25th May the British Chamber hosts their 106th Annual General Meeting, one year on from the grand reopening of their newly-refurbished office space. Members are invited to a networking drink in the business lounge before the meeting starts at 17:30 sharp. The AGM presents the opportunity for members to hear about and discuss the chamber’s performance over the last 12 months and to hear the year’s financial reports. We’re also excited to announce that the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo QC MP will be delivering a keynote speech on Gibraltar’s place in the European Union.

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Fabian Picardo was first elected as Chief Minister in 2011 before 2015 saw his re-election for a second term. Mr Picardo will deliver his speech on Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, and its place within the European Union. This issue brings into perspective the broad and far-reaching effect the question of British membership to the Union really has. Since the 1980s, Gibraltar has seen its economic environment change and now boasts a private sector continuously driving new projects. With the referendum looming however, is Gibraltar seeking a new relationship with the EU?

Chief Minister of Gibraltar – Fabian Picardo

 

After a Q&A session between members and the Chief Minister, President Thomas Spiller will deliver his address. Mr Spiller will be reflecting on his presidency at the halfway point of his term and will look back on the progress made on delivering on the 3 core aims of his mandate:

1. To develop a new business strategy and ensure the longevity of the chamber
2. To build the brand and increase visibility of the chamber
3. Enhance the British Chamber offering

President Thomas Spiller

 

The President will then hand over to CEO Glenn Vaughan as he recaps on the progress made at the chamber over the last 12 months. 2015 saw a big period of growth for the Business Development Group, chaired by Olivier Van Horenbeeck. The EU Committee, chaired by James Stevens also continued its strong programme, drawing on the outcomes of 2015’s Business Attitudes towards the EU survey. It was also an exciting year for the chamber’s young professionals’ network, Brussels New Generation, with one highlight being hosting the Great Brussels Charity Bake Off in March; raising €2500 for CHS.

Glenn Vaughan, CEO – British Chamber Of Commerce in Belgium

Registrations are still open for members to attend this year’s AGM, click here to sign up now or you can get in touch with Daniel at daniel.owen@britishchamber.be