This annex reviews action taken on recommendations from previous Surveys since the June 2017 Survey that are not reported elsewhere in this Survey.
Recommendations in previous Surveys
Actions taken
A. Education and skills
Increase spending per student in elementary education to at least the level of that of secondary education.
In the French speaking community, the number of teachers for pre-primary education has been increased since 2017. In the Flemish community, investment in elementary education has increased gradually in recent years up to 2019.
Support dissemination of intermediate ICT skills (including coding) through both adult education and training and by generalising access to ICT minors for all tertiary education students.
In 2018, Digital Wallonia, which aims to increase digital skills of young people, was launched. BeCentral, a digital hub in Brussels, established in 2017, provides training in digital skills to unemployed youth, while Women In Tech.Brussels targets young girls and women. Flanders launched a 5-year ICT-impulse programme aimed at children.
B. Productivity and business climate
Critically assess the effectiveness of the tax credit/investment deduction for R&D program, with a view to improving the existing programmes.
In 2019, the Federal Planning Bureau conducted an evaluation of R&D tax incentives.
Continue to strengthen entrepreneurship education, promote identifiable role models and champions, and expand existing mentor and patron panels of retired business people to counsel new company founders.
In Flanders, entrepreneurship was introduced as a learning outcome in primary and secondary education in 2018 and higher education in 2019. In the Brussels-Capital Region, Young Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow was launched, which raises awareness in schools and brings together entrepreneurs. In Wallonia, in 2017, SOWALFIN was given the mandate to reform entrepreneurship awareness and support.
Improve the effectiveness of existing tax incentives for retail investors based SME funding by a more neutral tax treatment of income from savings deposits. Encourage simple transparent and standard securitisation of SME loans by banks. Improve coordination between public sector entities responsible for SME financing.
An income tax credit was introduced for individuals who invest in shares issued by young SMEs.
Foster efforts to reduce the steepness of seniority profiles through the well-established bargaining wage process.
The authorities asked the Central Economic Council to prepare a report on this issue.
C. Environmental sustainability
Suppress the favourable tax treatment of company cars, extend the use of congestion charges and continue increasing the tax rate on fuel.
The tax rates on diesel used in road transport has been raised to the same rate as petrol. The cash for car scheme, which allows employees to choose alternative options, such as cash, was introduced in 2018. The Mobility Budget, which allows the company car budget to be spent on alternative modes of transport, was introduced in 2019.
Articulate a clear medium to long-term strategy for energy production to reduce policy uncertainty and thus facilitate long-life-cycle investments.
The inter-federal Energy Pact was approved by regional and federal governments in March 2018. A number of additional commitments have been made, such as the establishment of a federal Energy Committee and the National Energy and Climate Plans 2021-30 (both at the federal and regional levels).
D. Labour markets
As one way to improve labour market outcomes, in particular for the low-skilled, consider reintroducing lower statutory minimum wages for young workers.
Reductions of employer social security contributions for young workers were introduced at the federal level and in Flanders in 2019, and in Wallonia in 2017. In the Brussels-Capital Region and the German speaking community, labour cost-reducing support is provided to disadvantaged groups via Activa and Aktif programmes, respectively.
Continue to cooperate with social partners to further expand diversity plans in firms. Expand training offers, including on languages, and skill validation, as well as their articulation with diversity plans.
Mandatory integration programmes have been put in place in all region and communities. Measures were taken in 2018 at the federal and regional levels to promote diversity and fight against discrimination, such as the possibility for social inspectors to prove “discriminatory” infringements through mystery calls or anonymous field tests in companies, an action plan to promote diversity in the public sector and the offering of social interpreting services to people lacking language skills.
