News
Press releases
Events
The last five databases
The Institution
The Federal Planning Bureau (FPB) is an independent public agency. It draws up studies and projections on economic, social and environmental policy issues and on the integration of these policies within a context of sustainable development.
In 2001, Guy Vandille earned his doctorate in economic sciences at the KU Leuven. Since then, he has worked in the field of environmental economic accounts for the Federal Planning Bureau. In this context, he has contributed to different reports on the following accounts: the Air Emissions Accounts, the (Physical) Energy (Flow) Accounts, the Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts, the Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts, the Environmental Goods and Services Sector account, and the Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity. All these satellite accounts of the national accounts have been constructed in cooperation with and according to a methodology elaborated by Eurostat. He is also a member of the Sectoral and environmental accounts and analyses team and, as such, contributes to the construction of the supply and use tables and input-output tables.
Through combining environmental economic accounts with each other and with economic data contained, notably, in input-output tables, he has analysed, among other matters, the underlying factors explaining the evolution of carbon dioxide emissions by the Belgian economy, and has compared the extent to which Belgium has been able to mitigate the atmospheric pollutant emissions of its goods and services imports with the quantity of emissions generated by Belgium for producing its exports.
Le personnel et la direction du Bureau fédéral du Plan sont sensibles à l’impact de leurs activités sur l’environnement et de nombreuses initiatives ont été mises en place depuis plus de 10 ans. Notre institution met tout en oeuvre pour davantage réduire ses impacts négatifs et multiplier ses impacts positifs sur l’environnement et continuera à le faire dans le futur.
Het personeel en de directie van het Federaal Planbureau zijn zich bewust van de impact van hun activiteiten op het leefmilieu en ondernamen sinds meer dan 10 jaar een groot aantal initiatieven op dat vlak. Onze organisatie doet al het mogelijke om haar negatieve (positieve) impact op het leefmilieu verder te verminderen (vermeerderen) en zal deze inspanningen ook in de toekomst blijven verderzetten.
European Regulation No 691/2011 obliges the member states of the European Union to deliver six environmental economic accounts to Eurostat. The accounts concerned are the three accounts that have been obligatory since 2013, the Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity (ETEA), the Air Emissions Accounts (AEA) and the Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts (EW-MFA), as well as the three accounts that have to be delivered as of 2017, the Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS), the Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts (EPEA), and the Physical Energy Flow Accounts (PEFA).
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EW-MFA for the period 2008-2021.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EGSS for the years 2014-2020.
European Regulation No 691/2011 obliges the member states of the European Union to deliver six environmental economic accounts as of 2017. The accounts concerned are the three accounts that have been obligatory since 2013, the Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity (ETEA), the Air Emissions Accounts (AEA) and the Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts (EW-MFA), as well as the three accounts that have been delivered since 2017, the Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS), the Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts (EPEA), and the Physical Energy Flow Accounts (PEFA).
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EPEA for the years 2014-2019.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EGSS for the years 2014-2019.
European Regulation No 691/2011 (amended by European Regulation No 538/2014) obliges the member states of the European Union to deliver six environmental economic accounts as of 2017. The accounts concerned are the three accounts that have been obligatory since 2013, the Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity (ETEA), the Air Emissions Accounts (AEA) and the Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts (EW-MFA), as well as the three accounts that have been delivered since 2017, the Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS), the Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts (EPEA), and the Physical Energy Flow Accounts (PEFA).
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EW-MFA for the years 2008-2018.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EPEA for the years 2014-2018.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EW-MFA for the years 2008-2017.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EPEA for the years 2014-2017.
European Regulation No 691/2011 (amended by European Regulation No 538/2014) obliges the member states of the European Union to deliver six environmental economic accounts as of 2017. The accounts concerned are the three accounts that have been obligatory since 2013, the Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity (ETEA), the Air Emissions Accounts (AEA) and the Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts (EW-MFA), as well as three accounts that have to be delivered as of 2017, the Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS), the Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts (EPEA), and the Physical Energy Flow Accounts (PEFA).
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EPEA for the years 2014-2016.
De Europese Verordening 538/2014 (tot wijziging van Verordening 691/2011) verplicht de lidstaten van de Europese Unie om vanaf 2017 zes milieu-economische rekeningen aan Eurostat te leveren. Het gaat om drie rekeningen die reeds sinds 2013 moeten worden overgemaakt: de rekeningen voor milieubelastingen naar economische activiteit (Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity, ETEA), de luchtemissierekeningen (Air Emissions Accounts, AEA) en de materiaalstroomrekeningen voor de gehele economie (Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts, EW-MFA), aangevuld met drie rekeningen die vanaf 2017 moeten worden geleverd: de rekeningen voor de milieugoederen en dienstensector (Environmental Goods and Services Sector, EGSS), de uitgavenrekeningen voor milieubescherming (Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts, EPEA) en de fysieke-energie¬stroom¬rekeningen (Physical Energy Flow Accounts, PEFA).
Het Instituut voor de nationale rekeningen (INR) presenteert in deze publicatie de rekening voor de materiaalstroomrekeningen voor de gehele economie voor de jaren 2008-16.
Conformément au Règlement européen n° 538/2014 (modifiant le Règlement n° 691/2011), les États membres de l’Union européenne sont tenus de fournir six comptes économiques de l’environnement à Eurostat à partir de 2017. Il s’agit des trois comptes qui doivent être transmis depuis 2013, à savoir les comptes des taxes environnementales par activité économique (Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity, ETEA), les comptes des émissions atmosphériques (Air Emissions Accounts, AEA) et les comptes des flux de matières à l’échelle de l’économie (Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts, EW-MFA), mais aussi des trois comptes qui doivent être fournis à partir de 2017, à savoir les comptes du secteur des biens et services environnementaux (Environmental Goods and Services Sector, EGSS), les comptes des dépenses de protection de l'environnement (Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts, EPEA) et les comptes des flux physiques d'énergie (Physical Energy Flow Accounts, PEFA).
L’Institut des comptes nationaux (ICN) présente, dans cette publication, les comptes des flux de matières à l’échelle de l’économie pour la période 2008-2016.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EGSS for the years 2014-2016.
The database PEACH2AIR links emissions of greenhouse and acidifying gases, of gases contributing to tropospheric ozone formation and particulate matter to consumer expenditures in Belgium in 2014. It relies on standardized air pollution data (including air emissions accounts), input-output tables and the Household Budget Survey. Analyses for 2014 show that energy products as well as food and non-alcoholic beverages are the most air polluting expenditure categories.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EPEA for the years 2014-2015.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EW-MFA for the years 2011-2015.
European Regulation 691/2011 obliges the member states of the European Union to deliver three environmental economic accounts as of 2013. The accounts concerned are the Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity (ETEA), the Air Emissions Accounts (AEA) and the Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts (EW-MFA). In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EW-MFA for the years 2010-2014.
European Regulation 691/2011 obliges the member states of the European Union to deliver three environmental economic accounts as of 2013. The accounts concerned are the Environmental Taxes by Economic Activity (ETEA), the Air Emissions Accounts (AEA) and the Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts (EW-MFA).
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the ETEA for the years 2010-2014.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EW-MFA for the years 2009-2013.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the ETEA for the years 2008-2013.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EW-MFA for the years 2008-2012.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the ETEA for the years 2008-2012.
L’Institut des Comptes Nationaux (ICN) présente dans cette publication les tableaux entrées-sorties à prix courants pour l’année 2010, élaborés conformément à la méthodologie du SEC 1995 ainsi que dans les nomenclatures NACE Rév. 2/CPA 2008. Conjointement aux tableaux des ressources et des emplois dont ils sont déduits, les tableaux entrées-sorties assurent la cohérence des comptes nationaux. Les tableaux présentés dans cette publication sont cohérents avec les Comptes nationaux, Partie 2 – Comptes détaillés et tableaux 2012, publiés par l’ICN en octobre 2013. Les tableaux entrées-sorties constituent en outre un instrument d’analyse, mis à la disposition des décideurs, pour l’étude des relations interindustrielles et les études d’impact direct et indirect.
Het Instituut voor de Nationale Rekeningen (INR) presenteert in deze publicatie de input-outputtabellen tegen lopende prijzen voor het jaar 2010, opgesteld volgens de ESR95-methodologie en in NACE REV. 2 / CPA 2008. Samen met de aanbod- en gebruikstabellen, waarvan ze zijn afgeleid, verzekeren de input-outputtabellen de coherentie van de nationale rekeningen. De voorliggende tabellen zijn coherent met de Nationale rekeningen, Deel 2 – Gedetailleerde rekeningen en tabellen 2012, die in oktober 2013 door het INR werden gepubliceerd. De input-outputtabellen zijn tevens een analyse-instrument ten behoeve van het beleid, voor de studie van intersectorale relaties en voor directe en indirecte impactstudies.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the EW-MFA for the years 2008-2011.
In this publication the National Accounts Institute presents the ETEA for the years 2008-2011.
Le règlement européen (UE) n° 691/ 2011 impose à tous les Etats membres d’établir, chaque année à partir de 2013, trois comptes économiques de l’environnement et de les soumettre à Eurostat. Il s’agit des comptes des émissions atmosphériques (AEA), des comptes relatifs aux taxes environnementales (ETEA) et des comptes de flux de matières à l’échelle de l’économie (EW-MFA). Grâce aux projets- pilotes cofinancés par Eurostat, le Bureau fédéral du Plan a acquis, au cours des dix dernières années, une expertise dans la construction et l’analyse des AEA et ETEA. Il a en outre développé des comptes de la consommation d’énergie, qui présentent un lien direct avec les comptes des émissions atmosphériques, ainsi que des comptes de dépenses de protection de l’environnement (EPEA). La présente publication synthétise les résultats de ces quatre comptes de l’environnement. En ce qui concerne les EW-MFA, les résultats ne sont pas encore disponibles.
De Europese Verordening (EU) nr. 691/2011 houdt voor alle Europese lidstaten de verplichting in om vanaf 2013 jaarlijks drie milieu-economische rekeningen aan Eurostat over te maken. Het gaat om de luchtemissierekeningen (AEA), de milieubelastingsrekeningen (ETEA) en de materiaalstroomrekeningen voor de gehele economie (EW-MFA). Dankzij door Eurostat gecofinancierde pilootprojecten heeft het Federaal Planbureau tijdens het voorbije decennium een zekere expertise kunnen opbouwen in de constructie en de analyse van de AEA en de ETEA. Verder werden eveneens de nauw met de AEA samenhangende energieverbruiksrekeningen en de rekeningen voor de milieubeschermende uitgaven (EPEA) opgesteld voor België. Het zijn de resultaten van deze vier milieurekeningen die hier besproken worden. Voor de EW-MFA zijn nog geen resultaten beschikbaar.
Since the start of 2012, tensions in money and bond markets have receded somewhat in most euro countries. Together with the recent uptick in most confidence indicators, this is expected to lead to a bottoming out of European GDP. Assuming the sovereign debt crisis does not intensify again, economic activity should gradually pick up in the second half of the year. Nonetheless, on a yearly basis, this implies negative euro area GDP growth of -0.3%, which is a substantial downward revision as compared to our September forecasts (1.2%). This scenario remains highly uncertain, with renewed turmoil in financial markets as the main risk.
Belgian economic growth amounted to 1.9% in 2011, although economic activity fell slightly during the second semester. In 2012, quarterly growth should remain very modest against the background of a gradual pick-up in the European business cycle and of the austerity measures already taken by the Belgian government. Economic activity ought to stabilize in 2012Q1, followed by a slight export-led upturn (up to qoq growth of 0.2% in 2012Q4). Economic growth should remain limited to 0.1% on a yearly basis.
Due to the lack of dynamism in the business cycle, job creation has stagnated since mid-2011 and should only slightly recover in the course of this year, leading to an average annual increase of 6 400 units in 2012. As a result, the harmonised unemployment rate (Eurostat definition) should rise from 7.2% in 2011 to 7.5% in 2012.
Our most recent inflation forecasts were finalised at the end of February. Belgian inflation, as measured by the yoy growth rate of the national consumer price index, should amount to 3.0% on average this year. This upward revision (compared to our 2.7% forecast at the end of January) is largely due to price increases for energy products as a result of higher oil prices.
STU 1-12 was finalised on 16 March 2012.
In October, the FPB prepared an update of its medium-term economic outlook of May 2010. This new outlook covers a longer period (2010-2020) than usual because it was drawn up in the framework of the macroeconomic surveillance process under the Europe 2020 Strategy, with a view to the preparation of the draft Belgian National Reform Programme.
This new outlook for Belgium is based on an international context that is marked by a recovery that should emerge in 2010-2011 and even gain momentum in the medium term. Nevertheless, the uncertainty surrounding these forecasts continues to be higher than before the financial crisis. Large budget deficits and global imbalances continue to threaten the stability of worldwide economic growth.
Yearly Belgian economic growth should amount to approximately 1.8% in 2010 and 2011 (based on our September forecast described in STU 3-10) and fluctuate around 2% thereafter. After a sharp decline in 2009, domestic demand has been expected to rise again in 2010, despite the on-going fall in business investment. As of 2011, domestic demand should rise at an average yearly rate of 1.8% as its various components regain their trend-based growth. Belgian exports, which fell by 11% in 2009, have recovered significantly in 2010. Thereafter, exports should grow at a rate close to its historical average. The contribution of net exports to GDP growth should be positive for the whole projection period (0.3-0.4 %-points on average for 2012-2020). Employment seems to have already experienced a moderate recovery in 2010.
Employment should increase further in 2011 and 2012, but at a limited pace as employers try to push up labour productivity and average working time from the historically very low levels that they reached in 2009. From 2013 to 2015, employment growth should become more sustained before gradually dropping again towards the end of the forecast. Employment as a percentage of the population aged between 20 and 64 years should initially fall from 68% in 2008 to 66.9% in 2010, but should recover to 68.2% in 2015 and 69.8% in 2020, a rate still well below the 75% target set by the EU. Unemployment (broad administrative definition) is expected to peak in 2012 at a level that is 103 000 units higher than in 2008. From 2013 onwards, unemployment should slowly decline and reach 591 000 units in 2020.
The general government budget deficit should shrink from 6% of GDP in 2009 to 4.8% of GDP in 2010, 4.6% in 2011 and 4.5% in 2012. Thereafter, the deficit should remain almost constant up to 2020. A further and considerable fiscal adjustment is thus necessary to cut back the deficit to 3% of GDP in 2012 and achieve a balanced budget in 2015 in accordance with the Stability Programme of January 2010.
STU 04-10 was finalised on 22 December 2010.
L’Institut des Comptes Nationaux (ICN) présente dans cette publication les tableaux entrées-sorties à prix courants pour l’année 2005 élaborés conformément à la méthodologie du SEC 1995. Conformément à la loi du 21 décembre 1994, le Bureau fédéral du Plan (BFP) est responsable, dans le cadre de l’ICN, de l’élaboration des tableaux entrées-sorties quinquennaux. Dans cette publication, la méthodologie de l’élaboration des tableaux entrées-sorties est décrite et les résultats sont présentés aux niveaux 6x6. Des tableaux plus détaillés sont disponibles (depuis fin mars 2010) sur le site internet du BFP. Le cadre des entrées et sorties décrit de manière détaillée le processus de production et les flux de biens et services dans l'économie belge. Conjointement aux tableaux des ressources et des emplois dont ils sont déduits, les tableaux entrées-sorties assurent la cohérence des comptes nationaux. Ils constituent en outre un instrument d’analyse, mis à la disposition des décideurs, pour l’étude des relations interindustrielles et les études d’impact direct et indirect. Ces dernières années, on a observé un renouveau de l'utilisation des tableaux emplois-ressources et des tableaux entrées-sorties, notamment à des fins d'analyse dans le domaine de la mondialisation et de l'économie de l'environnement.
Het Instituut voor de Nationale Rekeningen (INR) presenteert in deze publicatie de input-outputtabellen tegen lopende prijzen voor het jaar 2005, opgesteld volgens de ESR95-methodologie. Overeenkomstig de wet van 21 december 1994 is het Federaal Planbureau (FPB), binnen het kader van het INR, verantwoordelijk voor de opmaak van de vijfjaarlijkse input-outputtabellen. In de voorliggende publicatie wordt de methodologie die werd gevolgd bij de opmaak van de input-outputtabellen beschreven en worden resultaten getoond op 6x6 niveau. Meer gedetailleerde tabellen zijn (sedert eind maart 2010) beschikbaar op de website van het FPB. Het input-outputsysteem beschrijft op gedetailleerde wijze het productieproces en de goederen- en dienstenstromen in de Belgische economie. Samen met de aanbod- en gebruikstabellen, waarvan ze zijn afgeleid, verzekeren de input-outputtabellen de coherentie van de nationale rekeningen. Ze zijn tevens een analyse-instrument ten behoeve van het beleid, voor de studie van intersectorale relaties en voor directe en indirecte impactstudies. De laatste jaren wordt een revival in het gebruik van input-outputtabellen waargenomen, onder meer voor analyses in het domein van globalisering en milieu-economie.
In view of the new round of stability and convergence programmes (SCP) by the EMU member states, the FPB transmitted a medium-term outlook for the Belgian economy to the federal government. In this outlook, the short-term international assumptions are based on the November forecasts of the EC. These assumptions result in a gradual recovery of Belgian GDP in 2010 (0.8%) and 2011 (1.6%), after a decline of 3.1% in 2009. More information on this simulation can be found on pages 5-6.
As world trade appears to recover at a faster pace than expected in the EC outlook, the FPB produced a technical update of the SCP-simulation. This second simulation results in relatively stronger Belgian economic growth in 2010 and 2011 (1.1% and 1.7% respectively). From 2012 to 2014 economic growth is expected to be 2.1% on average, which might not be sufficient to close the output gap by 2014. Comments in the next paragraphs are based on this exercise.
Private demand was heavily affected by the financial and economic crisis. Private consumption suffered from a lack of confidence which brought an important increase along in the savings rate in 2009. In the medium term, consumption growth should gradually recover but remain below 2%. Gross fixed capital formation plummeted in 2009 and is unlikely to recover soon as idle production capacity is still abundant. From 2011 to 2014, average investment growth should amount to 2.1%. Exports declined by more than 10% in 2009, but should recover from 2010 onwards and reach an average growth rate of 4.4% from 2011 to 2014.
As employment typically reacts with a lag to the business cycle, the decrease in employment should even be stronger in 2010 than in 2009, before increasing gradually from 2011 onwards. The (broad administrative) unemployment rate should increase by 2.5 percentage points in 3 years and reach 14.3% in 2011. From 2012 onwards the unemployment rate should diminish somewhat, but total administrative unemployment should still amount to more than 730 000 persons in 2014 (130 000 persons more than in 2008).
Due to the recession the public deficit increased to 5.8% of GDP in 2009. Under an unchanged policy assumption the net public financing requirement should decline by 0.6% of GDP in 2010 and roughly stabilise somewhat below 5.5% in the medium term.
STU 04-09 was finalised on 21 December 2009.
Indicateurs, objectifs et visions de développement durable, Rapport fédéral sur le développement durable 2009, est une contribution au large débat sur les indicateurs permettant de mesurer les progrès des sociétés et d’en débattre.
Le Rapport est centré sur l’étude d’un tableau d’indicateurs de développement durable (IDD) qui montre dans quelle mesure des objectifs stratégiques d’un développement durable (OSDD) sont en cours de réalisation en Belgique. Il examine aussi le choix de ces objectifs stratégiques dans le cadre de visions à long terme de l’évolution de la société, de l’environnement, de l’économie et des politiques publiques.
Indicatoren, doelstellingen en visies van duurzame ontwikkeling, het Federaal rapport inzake duurzame ontwikkeling 2009, is een bijdrage tot het brede debat over indicatoren waarmee samenlevingen hun vooruitgang kunnen meten en daarover kunnen debateren.
Het rapport is gericht op de studie van een tabel met indicatoren van duurzame ontwikkeling (IDO’s). Die tabel toont in welke mate België op weg is om een aantal strategische doelstellingen van duurzame ontwikkeling (SDDO’s) te bereiken. Het rapport onderzoekt ook de keuze van die strategische doelstellingen in het kader van langetermijnvisies over de evolutie van de samenleving, het milieu, de economie en het overheidsbeleid.
Recent years have seen a growing interest in the economic potential of environmental protection activities. The protection of the environment necessitates the development, production and marketing of a host of environmentally friendly products and production processes, the development of the skills needed to use them, environmental legislation, an administration to keep track of these developments, etc. All these activities are provided for by the environment industry. This study investigates the development of the environment industry in Belgium between 1995 and 2005.
This study presents an overview of the evolution of the size, the composition and the economic importance of the environment industry in Belgium between 1995 and 2005. It shows which industries are involved and which environmental domains are most important.
The FPB has revised its medium-term outlook for 2008-2013 for the Belgian economy. For the 2008-2010 period, the outlook adopts the international economic scenario provided by the OECD outlook of November 2008. The uncertainty surrounding the results is exceptionally large and downside risks could prove to be greater than upside risks. The greatest downside risks include a longer than expected period of distress on financial markets, and that emerging markets could be hit harder than anticipated.
The outlook for Belgium shows average GDP growth reaching only 1.5% during the period 2008-2013 (1.9% for the period 2001-2007). This relatively weak performance is largely explained by weak GDP growth in 2008 (1.4%), a fall in economic growth next year (-0.3%) and a limited recovery in 2010. Over the period 2011-2013, GDP growth is expected to stabilise at a rate slightly above 2%, which might not allow the output gap to be completely closed by the end of the projection.
After dynamic growth in 2007, private consumption expansion should be much more limited in 2008 and 2009. From 2010 onwards, household demand growth should increase gradually and then stabilise at a rate close to 2%. After dynamic growth in 2008, gross fixed capital formation should slightly decrease in 2009, before recovering in 2010 and increasing by 2.4% on average during the 2011-2013 period. Given the unfavourable international environment next year, exports are expected to decrease in 2009. Over the period 2010-2013, exports should increase by 4.4% on average and the contribution of net exports to GDP growth is expected to be slightly positive.
The worsening of the economic situation should lead to a decrease in employment in 2009. In the medium term, employment should increase again, at a yearly rate reaching 0.8% at the end of the projection. With employment growth heavily affected by the adverse economic situation in the short run and in view of the increase in the labour force, the unemployment rate (broad definition) will soar to 12.9% by 2010 (against 11.9% in 2008), before levelling off at around 13.2% from 2011 onwards. Total administrative unemployment should stand at almost 700,000 persons in 2013 (65,000 persons more than in 2007).
Under the assumption of unchanged policy, the public accounts are expected to deteriorate markedly, with a net public financing requirement of 1.6% of GDP in 2009, 2.4% in 2010 and up to 2.6% in 2011-2013.
STU 04-08 was finalised on 11 December 2008.
This paper illustrates the deficiency of the production approach as a tool to measure a country’s responsibility for international environmental impacts. A use approach is presented as a more suitable tool. The difference between the two approaches is determined by a better grasp of international trade, which can lead to environmental leakage when a country specialises in the production of environmentally friendly products and has the environmentally unfriendly products which it consumes produced abroad. We show that in the period 1995-2002 Belgium was on average a provider of air emission intensive products for the rest of the world. Environmental leakage was mostly negative. However, the evolution of the Belgian environmental terms of trade shows that by 2002 its imports had become considerably more air emission intensive with respect to its exports than in 1995. There are indications that this evolution is due to a considerable increase of extra-EU imports of air emission intensive products. This in turn could point to environmentally inspired offshoring. However, the currently available data do not allow us to test this hypothesis.
On the basis of its short term economic forecast of September and revised figures for the medium-term international economic environment, the FPB has updated its medium-term outlook 2007-2012. GDP growth should reach 2.1% on average and should be driven by both domestic demand and exports, although the structural loss of export market shares should remain significant: while growth in our potential export markets will reach 6.8% a year on average, exports are expected to record an average annual increase of 5.4%.
The growth of private consumption (1.8% on average) should be in line with the growth of real disposable income (1.9% on average). Gross fixed capital formation should continue to register sustained growth, attaining an average of 3.1%, mainly reflecting an increase in business investment, but also an acceleration of public investment in view of the local elections of 2012. Inflation (as measured by private consumption deflator growth) should be below 2% on average during the projection period, despite an acceleration in 2008: inflation could even climb to 2.5% next year, according to the latest update of the monthly inflation forecasts of FPB. Limited wage increases (lower than productivity gains), the increase in interest rates, a negative output gap and a moderate increase in imported costs are the main factors accounting for the low inflation rate in the medium term.
Total employment will increase by more than 40,000 jobs a year on average during the projection period, due to sustained economic growth combined with persistently modest labour productivity (1.4% per year). Due to ongoing structural shifts in the sectoral composition of employment, the manufacturing industry will incur a further loss of 6,000 jobs a year on average, whereas market services should gain 46,000 jobs a year. The employment rate is expected to increase from 62.6% in 2006 to 65.4% in 2012; the fall in the unemployment rate (from 13.8% in 2006 to 11.0% in 2012 -broad definition) should accelerate at the end of the projection period, when baby-boomers will leave the labour force on a massive scale.
The pace of employment growth should have nearly doubled during the period 2001-2012 compared with the previous decade, despite very similar average economic growth rates for both periods.
STU 04-07 was finalised on 10 December 2007.
In the October update of the FPB medium-term outlook for Belgium, GDP growth reaches an average of 2.3% for the 2006-2011 period. This development will be driven by both domestic demand and exports, although the contribution of net exports to economic growth is expected to be limited. The growth of private consumption (1.9% on average) should be in line with the growth of household disposable income in real terms (2% on average). Gross fixed capital formation should grow by 2.7% (on average). The structural loss of export market shares should remain significant, with exports increasing by 5.5% a year on average, compared with a 6.8% growth in our potential export markets.
After climbing to 2.4% in 2006 because of high energy prices, inflation (as measured by the private consumption deflator) should fall below 2% in the medium term, mainly because of limited wage growth, the increase in interest rates and moderate rises in prices of imports (notably owing to the decrease in oil prices). Total employment is expected to increase by about 38,500 jobs a year during the 2006-2011 period, despite new job losses in manufacturing. The factors behind this performance are: a relatively favourable macroeconomic context, limited wage increases, a further small reduction in working time and various measures taken to promote employment. Nevertheless, the fall in the unemployment rate is expected to be limited due to the substantial rise in the labour force. However, at the end of the projection period - when baby-boomers will leave the labour force on a massive scale - the growth of the labour force should lose momentum, allowing the decrease in the unemployment rate to accelerate.
All in all, economic growth should be stronger for the next six years compared to the previous six years, leading to the same average GDP growth rate during the period 2000-2011 as during the period 1990-1999. At the same time, the pace of employment growth should have nearly doubled (yearly 35,000 on average during the same period 2000-2011, against slightly less than 20,000 yearly during the former decade), reflecting a considerable decline in productivity gains.
This medium term outlook does not take into account the measures taken within the framework of the 2007 budget.
STU 4-06 was finalised on 11 December 2006.
The medium-term outlook for Belgium points towards an average GDP growth rate of 2.2% during the 2006-2011 period, which is slightly higher than potential (2.0%). This pace of growth should follow a slowdown in economic growth in 2005 (1.5%) and a rebound in 2006 (2.4%). Economic growth in Belgium should remain slightly higher than in the euro area, on average.
Despite moderate wage increases, the average yearly growth rate for private consumption should reach 1.8% during the 2006-2011 period, in particular because of the increase in household disposable income (stimulated especially by reductions in personal income tax and increases in employment and social benefits). Investment growth should reach 2.5% during the 2006-2011 period, mainly reflecting the path of business investment growth, but also an acceleration in public investment at the end of the projection period. Growth in exports should be 5.4% on average and the contribution of net exports to GDP growth is expected to be 0.3%-points. The external surplus, which was strongly reduced between 2002 and 2005, should increase again after 2007 and attain 3.2% of GDP in 2011 (partly as a result of the improvement of the terms of trade). Limited increases in wage costs, the decline in oil prices after 2007 and a negative output gap until the end of the projection period, should allow the inflation rate to remain below 2% in the medium term.
The expected evolution of employment reflects a favourable macroeconomic context, a limited increase in wage costs and various policy measures. After the net creation of approximately 39,000 and 41,000 jobs in 2005 and 2006 respectively, about 35,000 jobs should be created every year during the 2007-2011 period. Between 2005 and 2011, industrial employment should fall by 30,000 persons, but the number of jobs created in market services should exceed 250,000. Nevertheless, in view of the strong increase in the labour force (mainly in the 50-64 age class) the fall in unemployment will be limited to 38,000 persons. The unemployment rate (broad administrative statistics) should fall from 14.3% in 2005 to 13.1% in 2011.
Under the assumption of constant policy, public accounts are expected to deteriorate markedly, with a net public financing requirement of 0.3% of GDP appearing in 2006, widening to 1.2% in 2007, before gradually falling to 0.3% by the end of the projection period. Nevertheless, the total public debt to GDP ratio is still expected to decline from 93.9% in 2005 to 78.0% in 2011.
The latest update of the FPB medium-term outlook for Belgium shows an average GDP growth reaching 2.1% during the 2005-2010 period. This development can be largely accounted for by both domestic demand and exports, although the contribution of net exports to economic growth is expected to be limited; the current account should continue to decrease until 2006 due to terms of trade losses. Private consumption should grow at a moderate pace during the projection period (1.7% on average), in line with growth of households’ disposable income in real terms. At the same time, gross fixed capital formation (and particularly business investment) should grow at a sustained pace with annual growth reaching 2.9% on average. The structural loss of export market share should be important, with exports increasing by 5% a year on average, compared with a 6.5% growth of our potential export markets.
Inflation should reach 2.2% on average during the projection period, due to figures close to 3% in 2005 and 2006. The current acceleration is explained by high energy prices and the recent depreciation of the euro against the dollar. However, inflation should be around 2% in 2007 and fall below 2% at the end of the projection period, mainly because of limited wage increases and moderate rises in imported costs. Employment is expected to increase by about 33,000 jobs a year during the 2005-2010 period. This performance can be explained by several factors: a relatively favourable macroeconomic context, limited wage increases, a - although very slow - reduction in working time and various measures taken to promote employment. Nevertheless, the fall in the unemployment rate should be very limited due to a considerable increase in the working population.
The FPB October update of the medium term outlook for Belgium does not yet take into account the measures taken within the framework of the 2006 budget.
Het Federaal Planbureau publiceert momenteel in het kader van de middellangetermijnvooruitzichten onder meer projecties in verband met de evolutie van de uitstoot van broeikasgassen in België. Deze projecties gebeuren net als de economische voor België als geheel. Verder worden er door het Federaal Planbureau met de steun van Eurostat eveneens milieurekeningen voor België opgesteld, die heel wat emissiedata bevatten van zowel lucht- als watervervuiling. Het gaat hierbij om de namea Lucht en de namea Water.
Cette étude a pour objet d’analyser, d’une part, les dépenses liées à la protection de l’environnement, d’autre part, la pollution de l’air et de l’eau en Belgique dans le cadre des comptes environnementaux. Ceux-ci permettent de relier données environnementales et économiques, ce qui en fait un instrument de travail de choix pour la politique de développement durable.
In deze studie worden de uitgaven voor milieubescherming en de lucht- en watervervuiling in België bestudeerd vanuit het kader van de milieurekeningen. De milieurekeningen laten toe om milieugegevens aan economische data te koppelen, wat hen een uitgelezen werkinstrument maakt voor het beleid inzake duurzame ontwikkeling.
During recent months it has become clear that the turning point in the business cycle has been passed both in the US and in the euro area. Attention has shifted since then to the question of how strong the recovery will be and what will be the forces driving it. A substantial improvement in the labour market situation is now the missing link to ensure a seamless transition from a more technical inventories-led upturn to a broader demand-led recovery and to avoid the risk of a double dip scenario, both in the US and in the euro area. As the labour market situation reacts to economic activity with a certain time lag, it is crucial that the business cycle upturn should remain sufficiently strong to persuade entrepreneurs to increase their staff.
According to the FPB’s leading indicator, the Belgian GDP cycle should only begin to climb in the second half of 2002. As a result, GDP should record an average annual increase this year which is almost identical to last year, i.e. 1.0%. Its composition and dynamics should, however, be quite different. The economic upturn should only have a positive impact on employment by the end of the year. The full positive impact of the economic recovery will become visible in 2003, with an expected GDP growth rate of 3.0%. In April 2002, national consumer price inflation fell below 2% (yoy) and it should stay below that level on average in 2002 and 2003.
Federal Planning Bureau
