Transcript Diapositive 1 - The European Azerbaijan Society

Fostering Innovation in Belgium
Thomas Castrel, 25-9-2014
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“The iPhone is a niche product”
Nokia CEO Olli — Pekka Kallasvuo, 17 April 2008
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Belgium
At the border of 3 main European cultures
• 11 million inhabitants
• Official languages:
French, Dutch, German
• Independent since 1830
• Federal state since 1981
• Head of state:
King Philippe
• Capital: Brussels
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Belgium connected to Europe
75 %
of the EU
Market (GDP)
40 %
of the
consumers
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Belgium is the second most globalised country in
the world
KOF Index of Globalization 2014
100
92.17
91.61
91.33
90
83.72
82.76
80
79.47
74.94
66.58
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ireland
Belgium
Netherlands
UK
France
Germany
USA
Japan
KOF Index 2014 measures 25 variables indicating degree of integration into world economy
KOF stands for Konjunkturforschung (Business cycle research)
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A perfect assessment market
• Gateway to European market
• Multi-cultural population
• European diversity challenge on a
small scale
Exportation
86% GDP
Importation
84% GDP
Source : The World Bank 2013
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Successful test in Belgium = successful test in Europe
H&M maintains a pilot store in Belgium in order
to market-test all its newest clothing collections.
The Coca-Cola company has tested over 1,000
products in Belgium, including the well-received
Coca-Cola Light Sango cola and Fanta World
Mango product in 2006.
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Education & skills
University Education
Germany
7.72
USA
7.64
Netherlands
Netherlands
4.74
5.05
France
For information :
6.1
6.93
USA
6.28
France
7.37
Germany
7.22
UK
8.49
Belgium
7.48
Belgium
Japan
Language Skills
India
Russia
China
Brazil
Sources : University Education (IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2014)
5,17
5,04
4,26
3,27
UK
Japan
3.94
3.66
3.11
For information :
India
China
Russia
Brazil
6,25
4,95
3,89
2,46
Language skills (IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2014)
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Best quality for education and schooling
Ranking
Primary
Education
Educational
System
Math
and Sciences
Management
Schools
Belgium
2
7
3
2
Netherlands
10
12
14
9
Germany
25
14
21
27
France
35
43
15
5
UK
31
26
50
3
Sources : The Global Competitiveness Report World Economic Forum 2013 - 2014
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An unique hotspot for lifelong learning
“Best country in the world for academic research”
The Scientist, November 2007
16 Outstanding Universities
• Universities meet the needs of a competitive economy : Belgium ranked 11th out of 60
(IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2014)
• Strong interaction between teaching and research
• Management schools ranked 2nd out of 148
(Global Competitiveness Report World Economic Forum 2013 - 2014)
• 7 universities are classified in the Academic Ranking of the World Universities 2013 by
Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Worldwide renowned Research Centres
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
IMEC: nano-electronics
SCK-CEN: peaceful applications of nuclear science
ITM: Institute of Tropical Medicine
VIB: life sciences
Welbio: fundamental life sciences
VITO: sustainable technologies
Cenaero: high-tech industry, mainly in aeronautics
iMinds : Interdisciplinary Institute for Broadband Technology
… and many others
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EU innovation performance
EU member states’ innovation performance
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Source: EU Commission, DG Enterprise, 2013
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Research & Development
(out of 144 countries
surveyed)
Availability of
latest technology
Capacity for
innovation
Quality of scientific
research
institutions
Availability of
scientists and
engineers
Belgium
12
10
4
30
Netherlands
9
9
7
41
Germany
13
3
6
17
France
18
16
13
24
UK
5
8
3
23
Ranking
Source: Global Competitiveness Report World Economic Forum, 2013 - 2014
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Research & Development
2012 EU Industrial R&D Scoreboard (European
Commission)
• Belgium ranks as one of the best hosting nations for hightech R&D investments.
• US firms spend ten times more on R&D in the EU than in
China and India combined.
• Belgium is in a particularly good position to receive foreign
investments in R&D due to the high quality of its research
facilities, in combination with unparalleled R&D incentives.
• Belgium receives the third highest amount of R&D
expenditure by foreign-owned companies.
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Research & Development: incentives
1. Patent income deduction
• Deduction of 80% of the income from patents from the taxable basis, resulting in an effective tax rate of maximum
6,8% on this income
2. Investment deduction
• Investment deduction for R&D related investments
• deduction of 14,5% on the investment value (in one shot)
• OR 21,5% on the annual depreciation (spread deduction)
3. Exemption from withholding tax on the remunerations of researchers
• Principle: the salary withholding tax is normally retained on the remunerations paid to the researcher, but only 20%
of the retained amount of tax must be paid to the tax administration (= extra financial means for the employer) →
80 % exemption of the withholding tax !
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Implementation: science parks
• Louvain-La-Neuve Science Park (health, environment,
engeneering)
• Liège GIGA
• Gosselies
• Leuven & Ghent Smart Hub
• Newton & uno. Brussels
• Etc…
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For further information
Flanders Investment & Trade
Brussels Invest & Export
Koning Albert II-laan 37- 1030 Brussels
c/o Ministry of Brussels-Capital Region
www.investinflanders.com - [email protected]
Avenue Louise 500 - 1050 Brussels
T : +32 2 504 87 11 - F : +32 2 504 88 99
www.investinbrussels.com – [email protected]
T : +32 2 800 40 00 - F : + 32 2 800 40 01
Wallonia Export & Investment Agency
Office For Foreign Investors
The Liaison Cel
Federal Public Service Economy
Avenue des Dessus de Lives 6 - 5101 Namur-Loyers
Contact person: Mrs Colette Vanstraelen
www.investinwallonia.be - [email protected]
[email protected]
T : +32 81 33 28 50 - F : +32 81 33 28 69
T : +32 2 277 72 82
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