Brussels says no to trade negotiations with America, mortgaging Flemish prosperity

“Flanders is the economic engine of this country and creates enormous wealth with its exports. It is not acceptable for Brussels to mortgage Flemish prosperity, but to invoke the same prosperity for the sake of economic solidarity.” Flemish Prime Minister Geert Bourgeois is not satisfied with the attitude of the Brussels-Capital Region, which is opposed to a new negotiating mandate for the European Commission to start negotiations on a limited trade agreement with the US.

Mortgaging Flemish prosperity

Today, all EU countries, with the exception of France (vote against) and Belgium (abstention by the Brussels vote against), gave their agreement to a mandate allowing the European Commission to negotiate a limited trade agreement with the United States. Belgium had to abstain because of a ‘no’ vote by the Brussels-Capital Region. “I find it unacceptable that a region with a capital function, governed by Dutch speakers and French speakers, mortgages Flemish prosperity. Brussels only has an export share of 1.34% to the US. For Flanders, on the other hand, the US is our first market outside the EU, our fifth largest trading partner worldwide,” says Prime Minister Bourgeois. Currently, Flemish exports to the US amount to EUR 16.1 billion.

Damaged solidarity

According to Prime Minister Bourgeois, Brussels is biting into the hand that feeds it with its attitude. “Flanders, with its accumulated prosperity, is gladly expected to show financial solidarity, but then there is evidently no hesitation in potentially damaging this creation of wealth. We now know the attitude of the PS, but the fact that the Flemish parties in Brussels also follow the Parti Socialiste is unacceptable”, concludes Geert Bourgeois