“These two actions should make our opportunities for greening the economy more attractive again,” said Flemish minister-president Kris Peeters. “Making business more sustainable is a golden opportunity for the economy, as entrepreneurs come to realise that natural resources are not endless. An environmentally aware and energy-efficient industry will help bring about the realisation of our New Industrial Policy.”

The maximum subsidy for energy-saving and other ecological investments will be raised from 40% to 70% of the cost. Strategic support, meanwhile, deals with technologies that are so advanced or multi-faceted that they do not fit the criteria for the sort of projects able to receive ordinary subsidy.

“The Flemish government is thus creating an extra stimulus for businesses to invest in greening and sustainability,” Libeer said. The strategic support will tackle the problem of companies that were reluctant to take financial risks in a difficult economic climate. “We expect more companies to invest in energy-efficient production technologies,” he said. “That sort of integrated investment project is often extremely specific to the individual company, so that in the past it was not eligible for aid. That obstacle now falls away.”

The proposal now goes to the Flemish social and economic council for discussion and to the environment and nature council for advice. Finally, the council of state will be asked to give a legal opinion on the new draft. Voka, meanwhile, will provide consultants to small businesses hoping to find a way of cutting energy costs, as well as a brochure on energy savings and cooperation on business sites.

Also last week, Peeters promised a breakthrough in the impasse among his ministers over green energy certificates. The existing system is in need of reform and a deadline of last December has come and gone. But the coalition parties are not agreed on the extent to which energy-intensive businesses should finance the system. The government also needs to agree on how much of the national quota of green energy production will be shouldered by each of the regions.