The project Vlaanderen in Actie (Flanders in Action) is set on positioning Flanders as a top region for innovation, logistics, entrepreneurship, education and efficient governance by 2010. Many Flemings however still don't have a clue about what the Flemish government wants to reach with this ambitious plan. A new board of 20 experts will be installed today to serve as a sounding board for the Flemish government and to add the necessary panache to the project. They will meet with the Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters (CD&V) on a monthly basis and regularly follow up any relevant 'breakthroughs' with the competent minister and a top official. The chairman of Vlaanderen in Actie, Koen Geens, is a law professor at the university KULeuven, who until recently served as head of Minister Peeter's office. He succeeds Karel Vinck. Geens believes the time has come to bring concrete results to the table. He is joined on the board by ten representatives of socio-economic organisations, including former KBC chairman André Bergen, who will represent the employer's organisation Voka and Ann Demeulenmeester who will be assuming a similar role for the Christian labour movement ACW. Geert Van Autenboer will represent the Socialist labour union ABVV, Kris Van Elsen the Christian union ACV and Dirk Baeckenlandt the Liberal union, ACLVB. Finally the council will be joined by two top officials and seven field experts, including BASF CEO Wouter De Geest, who will support 'enteprises and labour', Antwerp Education alderman Robert Voorhamme (SP.A) who will push 'education and research' and transport economist Eddy Vande Voorde.

Yesterday the Flemish Community Education (GO!) Network proposed its solar energy project at the Royal Technical Atheneum (KTA) in Vilvoorde. This is however not a first. The KTA may have installed 170 panels, but so far about ten thousand similar panels have been installed at 34 Community Education schools throughout Flanders. Thirty-one of these schools engaged a private firm for the installation and management of their panels and buy their energy from these firms which results in an average saving of thirty percent on their energy bill. Moreover, they are exempt from paying distribution costs and receive a limited compensation from these firms in return for a 'building lease'. The solar panels of the three remaining schools are an investment of GO! itself. Excess energy generated when the school is empty during summer, for example, is simply diverted to an electricity network. The collective reduction in CO2 emissions that results from the ten thousand solar panels amounts to 1,212 tons each year, which is equal to what 50,500 trees can process during a similar period. This collaboration has resulted in the availability of more resources for school activities. "More funds are now available for sport, school trips and cultural activities," says Flemish Minister of Education, Pascal Smet (SP.A). The financial benefit of this project for schools is estimated at 100,000 euros per annum, which will only increase in keeping with energy prices. Furthermore the installations prove their pedagogic value as an example to society, assert Raymonda Verdyck, managing director of GO!

The number of vacancies received by the Flemish Labour Office (VDAB) last month was only slightly less than in January and February last year. An annual increase in the number of available jobs may therefore soon be on the cards, maintains VDAB after receiving 19,094 vacancies in February compared to 19,306 in January this year and 19,296 in February 2009. Moreover the number of vacant positions dropped by 3.6 percent to 35,532 on a year-on-year basis at the end of February compared to 35,533 in January this year. The economically sensitive sectors which suffered severely under the financial crisis, such as the chemical, financial, metal, transport and logistic sectors have started recruiting again. On the other hand it looks as if the sectors which normally recruit most, are not as busy as they were during the same time last year. One negative aspect of the economic crisis is that the reduction of the number of people who are jobless for prolonged periods, is slowing down. The results achieved by support programmes for this category of job seekers decreased during the crisis, maintains Georges Carlens, administrator-general of the National Employment Service, RVA in the Chamber Commission for Social Affairs yesterday. And the number of people dependant on social benefits for less than two years, has increased by 20 percent. Based on this finding, the RVA, in deliberation with federal Works Minister Joëlle Milquet (cdH), has decided to suspend the follow up procedure in certain circumstances. The follow up procedure implies that the RVA checks if the job seeker effectively tries to find a job and if he keeps his appointments with the service. Late in 2009 489,895 job seekers followed a similar procedure, with 17,687 of them being punished. In future, job seekers who receive training in a certain field, those who prepare for a future self-employment or those with a particular family or social background, a physical/psychological problem will no longer be followed up.

Flanders currently boasts 550 fitness centres. During the past ten years the number has increased by 55 percent, with the number of centre staff increasing by an average of five to six between 2003 and 2008. Despite the fact that fifty percent of these centres experience an increase in clientele, half of these centres admit to having an insufficient customer base. These are the findings of researchers Jeroen Scheerder and Steven Vos of the university KULeuven, who conducted a study on the fitness industry. Their survey among 117 Flemish fitness centres showed that on average their customer base was 48 percent male and 52 percent female. Fitness centres which also offered a wellness option however boasted a 70 percent female customer base. As far as the age profile was concerned, the 55 plus group constituted 14 percent and the youth members 16 percent. Traditional fitness activities such as condition training, cardio fitness and weight training remain the most popular by far. Centres are predominantly concentrated in central and residential municipalities with an above-average income level and most of these centres also offer sporting facilities (56 percent), with some (28 percent) offering fitness, sport and wellness. Nine in ten centres work together with other fitness centres, sports clubs, municipal sports services, schools or businesses.

The German supermarket chain Lidl intends to equip the roofs of all its European distribution centres with solar panels to generate electricity. Yesterday the group unveiled its first solar installation outside Germany at its distribution centre in the West Flemish town of Wevelgem; the first of four envisaged for Belgium. The 3,996 solar panels on the roof of the distribution centre in Wevelgem will produce 916,500kWh per annum, which is equal to the electricity consumption of 300 households. The energy generated by the solar panels will meet 43 percent of the total electricity demand of this Lidl distribution centre. For this large-scale installation Lidl contracted the Belgian company Enfinity and the German pioneer in solar panel systems, SolarMarkt. The agreement includes the installation and maintenance of the solar generating stations on the roofs of all Lidl's logistic centres throughout Europe. In addition, the 228 Belgian branches of Lidl are set on becoming greener. Cardboard and foil will be completely recycled and gas heating pumps will be installed in most stores in a process whereby heat will be extracted from the outside air and converted to a higher temperature. The thermal energy will result in CO2 emissions which are 30 percent lower than conventional heating systems.

Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters (CD&V) hopes to raise 500 million euros for a 'transformation fund' to boost the Flemish economy. With this he hopes to realise large-scale projects which could initiate innovative breakthroughs in various economic sectors. So far it's unclear which projects will benefit from this fund. "Planning will occur in deliberation with the research and business world," says Peeters, but reference has already been made to projects involving smart grids. Peeters plans to appropriate an additional 200 million euros to boost the fund at initiation phase, but so far that is merely a proposal, as political unanimity has not yet been reached. It's no secret that the Flemish government is a bit strapped for cash at present. Peeters hopes the European Investment Bank (EIB) will come forward by contributing one euro in the form of a credit line for every Flemish euro raised, producing in this way a multiplication effect. Yesterday Peeters submitted his proposal to EIB chairman Philippe Maystadt. If he manages to convince the EIB to contribute 100 million euros, the Flemish transformation fund will contain half a billion euros. Peeters further hopes to set an example for the rest of Europe with his model. "The United Kingdom and other countries are considering similar initiatives," says Peeters.

The European Investment Bank (EIB), led by the Belgian president Philippe Maystadt, has pledged a loan of 325 million euros to the Gasthuisberg University Hospital in Leuven. The hospital plans to use the funds to build a hospital for mothers and children, a psychiatric clinic and a division for emergency services. The pledge was preceded by months of screening and deliberation on the financial, organisational and building aspects of the Health Sciences department on the campus, chancellor of the university Mark Waer explained. The plans for this Leuven academic institution are at least most impressive. During the next ten years an amount of 800 million euros will be invested in the university hospital and the hospital in Pellenberg, approximately half of which will be funded by the hospital and the university themselves. The Flemish and federal governments will make a considerable financial contribution. With all these investments, which are almost enough to double the current built-up area, the University of Leuven (UZ Leuven) hopes to turn the Gasthuisberg campus into a so-called Health Sciences campus, a leading European model educational, research and medical care facility. At present 15,000 people are employed at the Gasthuisberg campus, whereas 5,000 student are enrolled for study. Payment of the 325 million euros pledged by the EIP will be staggered, with the first 40-million euro contribution used for the construction of underground parking for 1,500 vehicles. The parking area will become operational once all funding for a brand new emergency services division (containing a trauma division, a new operating theatre and intensive care unit) as well as a psychiatric hospital and centre for mothers and children have been completed. The UZ has so far given no indication of its intention to borrow exclusively from the EIB. ¿We are free to approach the major banks like KBC, Dexia, Fortis Bank etc. if they should offer us attractive loan conditions. Our current agreement with the EIB is however sufficient to provide financial security for the next ten years,¿ maintains Johan Kips, general director of UZ.

Judging by the job barometer released by the HR services company Manpower, the next quarter will see more employers (+3%) planning recruitment drives than job cuts. In the survey Belgian employers indicated that recruitment activities will show a gradual upswing during the second quarter of 2010. The previous survey, which focused on predictions for the first quarter, indicated a negative score of -3%. This more positive trend applies to all three regions, with employers from Wallonia appearing more positive (+4%) than their colleagues in Brussels an Flanders (both +2%). For the first time since the inception of this survey in Belgium in 2003, Wallonia has achieved a higher score than Flanders. Compared to the first quarter of this year, recruitment drives in eight of the ten business sectors under survey are on the way up. The most optimistic plans are expected in the electricity, gas and water sector (with its net employment prognosis standing at +13%). Other sectors which are more upbeat about employment opportunities include the building industry (+8%) and industrial sector (+7%). Three sectors which continue to experience a negative trend are the wholesale and retail, and the hotel and catering sector.

The Flemish investment company GIMV plans to employ its 1.8 billion euro funding (consisting, amongst others, of growth capital and partnership funds) to position itself as a top player in the investment arena. With this in mind, the company recently consolidated all its venture capital activities in order to accelerate the identification of trends and opportunities and to improve its service delivery to businesses. The team leaders tasked with realising this objective include head of venture capital, Alex Brabers, cleantech specialist Bart Diels and life sciences expert Patrick Van Beneden. Their mutual collaboration will not only result in scale benefits in respect of marketing, strength of analysis and reporting, but also address the issue of increased overlapping as a result of blurred performance areas within the three domains. One spin-off of the chip research centre Imec could, for instance, also encompass life sciences, medical and environmental technology. Van Beneden, a life sciences specialist, recognises a new trend in the field of Medtech (medical implants). Investments in the Swiss company Endosene, which manufactures catheters for the treatment of heart defects is one of these. On the local front, Cardio 3 Biosciences is developing stent technology for the treatment of heart diseases. The GIMV plans to accelerate its endeavours with private equity at a time when banks are withdrawing from the market. KBC has sold its KBC Private Equity entity and not much is happening at BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity. And the listed 3i has shed its venture capital activities. The intention is to cash in on the many years of investment and to return the money to the investors. It could however take longer than expected before the harvest is due. The life sciences branch, the portfolio most ripe for the picking, requires the most patience. Disinvestment is often only possible after 10 years. Up till now the most lucrative portfolio for the GIMV has been the telecom company Telenet.

The Antwerp municipal port company (GHA) and the company operating on the Left Bank, Maatschappij Linkerscheldeoever (MLSO), which controls the site and industrial policy on the Left Bank, are collaborating on a new wind park on the Left Bank of the River Scheldt in the port of Antwerp. As yet, the exact number and power of the turbines is not clear. According to MLSO director Peter Van de Putte, it could be as many as thirty turbines with an average capacity of 3 MW per turbine. That would mean a total of at least 90 MW, which would be sufficient to meet the electricity needs of about 74,000 people. The turbines on the Left Bank will however be for the exclusive use of businesses. In view of the fact that no turbines are allowed on the bird course of flight, an avifauna chart of the area will first be drafted in a study, with due observance of the shadows of the pylons, the noise pollution and the inhibiting infrastructure. By September Van de Putte hopes to establish which of the 150 businesses on the Left Bank will be willing to accommodate turbines on their site. Ideally he would like to commence the construction of all turbines by 2011. In addition to the GHA (37.5%), the municipalities of Beveren (10.4%) and Zwijndrecht (2.5%), the inter-communal company of the Land van Waas (34.6%) and the Flemish Region (15%) have a share in MLSO.

Minister of Education Pascal Smet (SP.A) plans to give urgent attention to the serious shortage of schools in the cities of Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent. Education alderman for Antwerp, Robert Voorhamme (SP.A), recently launched an appeal to address the school capacity problems in urban areas. Firstly, Minister Smet intends to scrap the so-called kilometre regulation, which stipulates that in densely populated areas no new school may be opened within a two-kilometre radius of another school from the same network. This abolition will apply to all urban concentrations in Flanders and Brussels which struggle with a shortage of classrooms. In future, cities will be more involved in urban expansion projects, indicating the areas in need of new schools as a result of growth. At present, things work the other way round, as families with children need to first move to the area before new schools are built. So far, the cities have expressed extreme satisfaction with the proposal, but in cities like Antwerp and Brussels, emergency interventions will be required in the short term as well. Education alderman Voorhamme has come forward with a proposal to subsidise schools with the rental of buildings. This would offer a reasonably simple solution for schools with capacity problems as they could, for instance, convert containers into classrooms or even rent empty office buildings. Smet intends to investigate all options and has made a request to all cities with overpopulated schools to draft a master plan to indicate the extent of capacity problems and the areas which suffer the most as a result. He further intends to investigate whether the composition of the school population should not be adjusted, as dissatisfaction exists in some areas with the increasing concentration of immigrants in many local schools.

Municipalities may request a commitment to learn the Dutch language from candidate buyers with the sale of social homes, but are not entitled to insist on a language examination. With this resolution, Minister of Housing Freya Van den Bossche (SP.A) has settled the social housing policy dispute in Vilvoorde. Previously, the Flemish Housing Inspection annulled the sale of eleven social homes owned by the Vilvoorde social housing company to the municipality in view of the language proficiency condition enforced by the city of Vilvoorde on prospective buyers, as this was in contravention with the Constitution. The housing company appealed and its case was accepted by Van den Bossche, who expressed the following: "It is perfectly legal - even commendable - that knowledge of a language should be encouraged when a social home is purchased. The Constitutional Court stipulates that a willingness to learn Dutch is reconcilable with the right to housing. But it is a matter of a commitment to learn and not a binding test. A municipality is therefore entitled to request that prospective buyers regularly attend and complete a course in Dutch, but it cannot exclude buyers on the basis of an examination." Coalition partner N-VA is pleased by the decision and proposes an extension of the existing condition pertaining to language commitment in the Flemish housing code to include all social houses for sale. Similarly, the city of Vilvoorde has reacted with satisfaction. As far as the promotion of 'live in your own region' is concerned, Van den Bossche has managed to create clarity. In order to facilitate the purchase of property in new residential developments in specific parts of the Flanders, such as on the coast, in Flemish Brabant and Northern Kempen, prospective buyers must show their ties with the municipalities of the region where they are keen to purchase. However, this regulation is often generalised by the specific municipal administrations to include existing residential development areas as well, which is not the intention, Van den Bossche says. In order to avoid any misunderstandings, the land and property decree will be modified in order to provide more clarity on the matter.

Each year about 300,000 young local and international tourists spend a night at one of the twenty Flemish youth hostels in the country. Unfortunately these hostels are often in need of refurbishment and incapable of accommodating a large number of tourists. According to Flemish Minister of Tourism, Geert Bourgeois (N-VA), the infrastructure should be extensively updated and the number of available beds increased. Consequently, he has appropriated 31 million euros for the building and renovation of eight youth hostels and residential centres. The youth hostel in Brussels, for instance, will see its shortage of beds alleviated with 52 additional beds, increasing its capacity to 187. The city of Bruges will receive a new youth hostel boasting 120 beds, which is twice as much as the current offering. The city of Hasselt will receive its first youth hostel ever and Brasschaat near Antwerp will receive a youth residential centre with 120 beds in the vicinity of the sports hotel. The antiquated youth hostel in Kortrijk will be renovated and extended to accommodate 120 overnighters and the Ploate in Ostend will relocate to the current Admiral Hotel and an adjoining warehouse. Both will be fully stripped and renovated, and converted into two modern youth hostels. All renovations are scheduled for completion between 2012 and 2015.

The I-Brain Festival, a project initiated by the University of Ghent, the non-profit organisation Breinwijzer and the music centre De Bijloke, provided a platform during the past weekend for top experts in this field to expound the latest findings in the field of brain research. One of the participants was Jan Verplaetse, moral and neuro psychologist and initiator of Het Morele Brein (the moral brain), a research group consisting of Flemish and Dutch researchers who investigate neurological processes which facilitate moral behaviour and explain immoral behaviour among human beings. "Our brains indeed convince us that we think and act rationally, but all our conscious processes are based on subconscious processes which we cannot control," said Verplaetse at the festival. Eight minutes before knowing that we are about to make a decision, the brain researcher can see on a scan whether we will act in a specific way or not. "You can actually see the difference between someone who thinks emotionally and someone with a more rational, calculating disposition," says Verplaetse. Recent studies have shown that moral behaviour can be manipulated when certain sections of the brain are stimulated. Different parts of the brain are responsible for the control of moral choices. A brain magnet can be used to manipulate the brain to become less sensitive to issues such as reputation, aversion to injustice or resentment. "With the use of implants we will be able to lessen bad behaviour or manipulate certain dysfunctional areas of the brains of serious psychopaths," Verplaetse explains. One of the most startling conclusions is that free will seems to be a myth.

International comparisons show that Scandinavians enjoy the most equality in respect of income. Belgium and other Western European countries experience slightly less equality, with Southern Europe at the bottom of the scale, just above the Anglo-Saxon world. And yet disparity between different Belgian income groups seems to increase each year. These are the findings released yesterday by the federal public service Economy. The graph shows the redistributive effect of taxes, succession rights and social security, with those earning a high salary paying more taxes and those with a lower income paying less and relying more on grants. The public service Economy further separated the figures according to region, with Flanders showing the least disparity. Wallonia scored in line with the Belgian average and Brussels showed the highest inequality.

The planned construction of a new nuclear research reactor in Mol (the Myrrha project) could create numerous job opportunities, director of the Study Centre for Nuclear Energy (SCK) Eric Van Walle has promised. This year his research institute will recruit thirty employees in addition to the 100 contract positions which will be created by this project. Significant job creation will however only be visible once the Belgian government actually decides to give the go-ahead for the construction. And this may only happen in 2014. During construction, 500 to 600 jobs will become available and once the reactor becomes operational, the SCK staff complement will increase to 1,000. At present, SCK employs 650 staff. Premier Yves Leterme (CD&V) yesterday defended the plan, saying: "The government is banking on a return on its capital investment. The risk of nuclear waste will be up to one thousand times less and the volume of waste up to a hundred times less. Moreover, scientific research will widen the scope for medical applications". The regional socio-economic planning committee Kempen is delighted, saying the project will offer ample opportunity for the growth and development of the region, making it one of the top regions in the field of sustainable energy and environmental technological research. Early this year the Flemish institute for technological research (Vito) announced that they had plans to collaborate with the university KU Leuven to expand the Flemish centre for energy research in the town of Waterschei in the Limburg province. This project, which has so far received much support from the Flemish government, is called Energyville. As in De Kempen, Limburg has set its sights on becoming one of the leading centres for energy research in Europe. On a political level, the SCK project may not receive much support from the parties Groen! and SP.A, as they fear the government could be embarking on yet another overambitious financial adventure with the construction of a nuclear research reactor.

The dredging companies Jan De Nul and Deme grace the first and second position on the list of most attractive employers in the country as revealed by HR service provider Randstad. The number three position goes to the chemical company Evonik Degussa, which operates from its site in the Antpwerp harbour. Randstad gave 12,000 respondents a list of the 172 companies in this country which employ in excess of one thousand people and asked them which of these they would like to work for. About 49 percent of those familiar with Jan De Nul said that they would be either 'happy' or 'very happy' to work for the company. It's no surprise that the companies which obtained the best result in the survey managed to resist the financial storm and offer the highest level of job security. Job security is more crucial in their choice today than it has ever been in the ten years that Randstad has conducted its surveys. Jan De Nul and Deme may be colleagues on the global market, but on the job front they are competitors fishing in a small pond. Philippe Piron, personnel director at Jan De Nul, points to the different business cultures assumed by the two companies. Says Piron: "We are a family business. Deme is not. Some people feel content within a familial environment, others not." Deme spokesperson Hubert Friers agrees with the notion of a small pond, saying: "Engineers, technicians and navigators are hard to find. The only effect of the crisis is that employees make more efforts to obtain a job and make less demands." Jan De Nul currently employs in the region of 5,000 people; 56 percent of them Belgians. During the past five years its workforce grew by 80%, with 575 new recruits globally recorded for 2009. Deme employs 3,500 people and a similar percentage of Belgians, and recruited 1,500 employees during the past five years, 214 of them last year.

Two hangars on the banks of the Hudson River in West Manhattan are being used to showcase the four-day Armory Show together with Art Bazel and the London Frieze Art Fair one of the largest art fairs in the world. The well-known Antwerp gallery Zeno X is one of 289 galleries on exhibit, enjoying its twelfth year at this event. After only a few hours gallery owner Frank Demaegd had already sold half the works in his stand, including works by artists such as Michaël Borremans, Raoul De Keyser, Mark Manders and Luc Tuymans. "A positive energy prevails this year," says Demaegd. "It's so different from last year, when sales were sluggish as a result of the economic crisis". Gallery owners pay between 9,000 and 60,000 dollars for a stand, but according to Demaegd, it's the best international platform for artists to enjoy exposure, as it is visited by curators from all the major museums in the world and by most internationally acclaimed art collectors. The one hangar, Pier 92, has been reserved for 20th Century art and the other, Pier 94 exhibits 21th Century art. "The Pier 92 exhibition is seen as a point of reference to provide access to visitors to the origins of the actual art," says Katelijne De Backer, Flemish director of the Armory Show. "Gallery owners exhibiting in Pier 94 were encouraged to show their most current collections." Jan Hoet Junior and Delphine Bekaert of the new Ghent gallery HoetBekaert have included works by the young Joris van de Moortel in their 3,7 by 3,7 stand, for which they paid 9,000 dollars. Newcomers must produce a circumstantial case and are extensively screened by the fair's selection committee before being accepted. The third Belgian participator in the fair is the Brussels gallery Baronian_Francey, which experienced the same smooth buying attitude this year.

In its economic relaunch plan the European Commission has appropriated four billion euros to energy projects, 2.3 billion of which will go to more than forty crucial gas and electricity network projects. Capping their financing at fifty percent, the Commission hopes to move the private sector to come forward with investments in the region of 22 billion euros. The first 1.5 billion euros towards this project was invested in December last year. Funds released by the Commission for the installation of gas pipelines in Belgium to facilitate improved connections with neighbouring countries amount to 100 million euros. Network controller Fluxys will receive 35 million euros to install a gas pipeline of approximately 150 kilometres between the East Flemish town of Opwijk and Eynatten on the German border. In addition, Fluxy has received 67 million euros for pipelines to link the Brabant town of Winksele and the French border town of Blaregnies; a distance of approximately 110 kilometres, and between `s Gravenvoeren and Berneau. For the connection between France and Belgium, the EC has appropriated 200 million euros, of which the French networ controller GRTgas will receive the remaining 133 million euros.

International Women's Day will celebrate its centenary on Monday, 8 March. She, the online women's channel on gva.be, conducted a survey among 800 women on balancing family and work. When asked what would please them most, 26% of the respondents said they would like to receive a higher salary, 25% mentioned more 'me-time' and 19% expressed a wish to work from home. Interestingly enough, only one in ten women were keen to receive more help at home from the spouses. Only 3% said they would like longer maternity leave, and this at a time when more and more young fathers opt to stay at home to care for the children. "The results show that an increasing number of women seem to have adopted a more individualistic approach to their relationship between work and family," says Katlijn Malfiet, chairman of the Dutchspeaking Women's Council. An overwhelming majority of the women (69%) feel it's quite possible to juggle a career and family, even though women with children seem to think those with no children have it much easier on the job market. If they had a choice, women would prefer to work with male colleagues and they most definitely prefer a male boss to a female one (68%).