National Reform Programme - Belgium 2013

This National Reform Programme (NRP) covers the measures the federal Government and the Regions and Communities have taken over the past 12 months to attain the targets included in the National Reform Programme of April 2011. In this programme, the governments express their conviction that structural reforms are essential to attain the targets and that the proposed and actualized budgetary objectives should be met.

The ambitious targets from the 2011 NRP are confirmed in the 2012 NRP, despite the difficult economic climate. The most recent observations of most indicators show that the trends are moving in the right direction and that several of them even excel the ambitious targets. That is, for instance, the case for the indicators with regard to renewable energy and tertiary education. On the other hand, it should be said that the trend reflected by some indicators, in the area of social inclusion for example, are rather disappointing. Certainly, this is connected to the difficult economic situation. Moreover, fiscal consolidation is essential to maintain our wealth and social system.

Furthermore, the federal Government also agreed on the necessity to outline an economic stimulus plan, which was completed in July 2012. That plan constitutes a global strategy for boosting economic activity and reinforcing competitiveness in order to stimulate economic growth and sustainable employment and to support purchasing power. The federal Government aims to develop this strategy further in collaboration with the social partners, the Regions and the Communities.