“In a number of areas, some progress has been made,” commented Jo Libeer, Voka’s director-general. “Yet we have concluded that a number of important dossiers are progressing too slowly or showing little in the way of results.”

Voka would like to see more progress on: rising energy costs, investment in infrastructure to prevent traffic congestion, administrative complexity when dealing with local and regional government, the lack of suitable skills among school graduates and the lack of concrete effects on business of Flanders’ innovation policy.

Peeters pointed to his government’s influence on Flanders’ strong economic growth, from minus 3.5% in 2009 to plus 2.3% now; the increase in foreign investment in Flanders, with 108 new projects in 2010 worth a total of €360 million; and his efforts to balance the region’s budget. Peeters noted that in order to bring balance the budget, his administration had been forced to make €2 billion in savings. “It’s actually positive that they’re now saying industry didn’t feel the effects,” he told VRT’s Terzake news programme.

Libeer acknowledged the government’s “discipline” in achieving a balanced budget. “But our survey shows clearly that the manoeuvring room offered by the new budget has to be dealt with in the right way in order to support the growth of our economy and ensure our welfare.”