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Belgium country brief

Belgium is often described as the gateway to the European Union of 450 million people. Belgium has the advantages of an excellent location, a well developed financial structure, a stable environment for businesses and a highly skilled, multilingual workforce. Many of New Zealand’s exports to other European Union countries pass through Belgium.

Belgium is divided into three regions - Wallonia, Flanders and Brussels. The regions differ in the languages that are spoken as well as politics and economic indicators.

Industry in Belgium is dominated by the services sector, which accounts for 77.2 percent of GDP. In the capital city Brussels, the majority of businesses are SMEs. Among these, there is a concentration of information and technology companies.

In 2010, New Zealand’s exports to Belgium totalled NZ$360 million. The top exports were sheep meat, butter, cheese and venison. As the country has a large carpet manufacturing industry, Belgium is also an important market for coarse wool.

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Opportunities

Renewable Energy: Belgium is aiming to shift from its dependence on nuclear energy to using renewable energy sources. There are opportunities for New Zealand companies to be involved and provide expertise in areas such as biomass, wind power and solar energy.
Information Communication Technology (ICT): The Belgian government is encouraging growth in this area through supporting international networks, partnerships and creating centres of excellence. Belgium’s ICT market is dominated by dynamic SMEs. This is similar to New Zealand’s market, which may be an advantage in facilitating partnerships and projects.
Biotechnology: Historically, Belgium has always had a strong biotechnology industry. The largest biotechnology segment is medical and healthcare, which accounts for 78 percent of the industry’s revenues. Other important areas include plant biotechnology and life sciences.
Food and Beverage: Belgium’s food and beverage industry uses a combination of traditional processes as well as modern processes. Many foreign firms have established facilities in Belgium with capabilities in production, processing, packaging and distribution.
Medical Devices: There are opportunities in this industry for New Zealand companies that can provide innovative technology that can reduce costs. Areas of focus include diabetes, obesity, home care and telemedicine. Belgium is also a useful test market before entering other European countries.