2014-2019: Towards a better competitiveness policy

Belgium is a competitive country but does not have the strenght to improve the competitiveness. In the report "Competitiveness 2014-2019" Itinera maps out some difficulties for which hardly or no progress is being made. In order to remain competitive, the evolution of the wage costs must be in line with the evolution of productivity. And this pattern is no longer respected in our country. Only 30% of the wage evolution is caused by productivity.



Itinera calls the next Government up to detach wages and productivity. The high-tech is a growth sector in the Belgian economy but the growth potential is likely to be under-utilised by scarce supply of workers. A more active pro-STEM education policy in function of the enormous diversity that technology provokes,  seems desirable in order to strengthen our competitiveness and employment opportunities.