N-VA calls for early budgetary control by the Federal Government

An insufficient level of Competitiveness The extent to which companies in one country can compete with similar companies in another country. A law came into force in Belgium in 1996 to monitor competitiveness. This stipulates that Belgian salaries may not evolve faster than the average of those in the three neighbouring countries. The Central Economic Council (CEC) performs an annual measurement to see if the objectives have been obtained. competitiveness and a budget that is structurally inadequate: that is the critical but fair assessment expressed in the country-specific recommendations of the European Commission. The N-VA therefore urges the Federal Government to set things right before the summer. The Government has been given another chance to seriously address the issue of budgetary control and carry out the structural reforms required by the country. We also argue in favour of the 2014 budget being dealt with before the summer recess. If Belgium wants to avoid becoming part of the European periphery (i.e. like Portugal, Greece and Italy) and avoid the imposition of a European fine in the future, we must urgently take the much-needed structural measures.