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To promote transparency and provide information, the Federal Planning Bureau regularly publishes the methods and results of its works. The publications are organised in different series, such as Outlooks, Working Papers and Planning Papers. Some reports can be consulted here, along with the Short Term Update newsletters that were published until 2015. You can search our publications by theme, publication type, author and year.
Closed series - Planning Paper 84 (fr), (nl),
An improvement in the most recent economic indicators and a better outlook for the European economy have prompted the FPB to revise its growth forecasts. GDP is now expected to grow by 2.4% in 1997 and 2.7% in 1998, compared to the previous forecasts of 2.1% and 2.5% respectively.
Higher growth rates are forecast for domestic as well as external demand. The revision, however, is mainly based on external factors. Exporters are benefiting with a certain time lag from a stronger USD and UKP. The combined expected depreciation of the BEF over 1997-98 is now 4.5%. As it concerns essentially a depreciation of the currencies of the whole DEM-zone, not only Belgian exporters benefit from this, but the impact on the economies of the other continental European countries is also positive. This, in turn, improves market opportunities for Belgian exporters.
The recent import price increases are linked to the exchange rate evolution. Consumer price inflation, however, remains subdued and is expected to amount to 1.65% in 1997 and 1.7% in 1998. The recent and expected rises in short term interest rates on the European continent should not have a significant effect on economic activity.
There are a few small signs of an improving labour market. In 1998, employment should increase by 44,000, taking into account specific programmes targeting unemployed people. This should therefore lead to increased private consumption and higher tax receipts.
The macroeconomic impact of the 1998-Budget is small. The government deficit should be well below 3% of GDP in 1997 and 1998. The deficit figures of 2.5% and 2.3% for 1997 and 1998 respectively, announced by the FPB in April, should be achieved without difficulty. The expected economic growth and the measures set out in the 1998-Budget should even enable the deficit to be reduced further.
Closed series - Short Term Update 02-97 (en),
Closed series - Planning Paper 83 (fr), (nl),
Closed series - Planning Paper 82 (fr), (nl),
Closed series - Planning Paper 81 (fr), (nl),
Working Papers - Working Paper 04-97 (fr),
Closed series - Planning Paper 80 (fr), (nl),
Closed series - Planning Paper 79 (fr), (nl),
Forecasts & Outlook - Economic Forecasts 1998 (fr), (nl),
Working Papers - Working Paper 03-97 (en),
Closed series - Short Term Update 01-97 (en),
Working Papers - Working Paper 02-97 (nl),
Forecasts & Outlook - Economic Outlook 1997-2001 (fr), (nl),
Working Papers - Working Paper 01-97 (fr),
Working Papers - Working Paper 02-96
Closed series - Planning Paper 78 (fr), (nl),
Other publications - Buurtdiensten / Services de proximité (fr), (nl),
Working Papers - Working Paper 01-96
Closed series - Planning Paper 77 (fr),
Closed series - Planning Paper 75 (fr), (nl),
Closed series - Planning Paper 74 (mix),
Closed series - Planning Paper 76 (fr),
Closed series - Planning Paper 72 (mix),
Closed series - Planning Paper 73 (nl),
Closed series - Planning Paper 70 (mix),