Walloon and Brussels governments continue to block trade agreements

An international trade agreement must be approved by all of the Belgian parliaments before it can be ratified. This happens smoothly in Flanders, while parliaments in Wallonia and Brussels often put on the brakes. The Flemish Parliament wants to make progress and is urging rapid ratification in the other parliaments. “This weighs on the prosperity of Flanders,” says Flemish MP Philippe Muyters, who took the initiative. Europe is also increasing the pressure.

There are currently nine such ratification procedures under way for European Union trade agreements. The nine treaties have been ratified by the Flemish Parliament, but not by the French Community, the Walloon Region and/or the Brussels-Capital Region. In fact, for two of these agreements, Belgium is the last country to continue blocking the treaty. The European Commission is now also stepping up the pressure through European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and European Union High Representative Josep Borrel. This is according to a Politico article dated 3 February 2023.

Poor image abroad

The majority parties in the Flemish Parliament have now also had enough of the attitude of the other federal states. They want to speed up the ratification procedure through a resolution. “These trade agreements are of particular importance to the Flemish economy. The other federal states blocking them may give the impression that Flanders is not a reliable trading partner. Flanders is presenting a poor image of itself abroad because Wallonia and Brussels continue to drag their feet. We insist on rapid ratification,” says initiator Philippe Muyters.

Maintaining prosperity as an exporting country

“Our country is an excellent exporting country. Exports in Flanders last year amounted to no less than EUR 380 billion. That results in prosperity. If we want to maintain this prosperity, then international treaties must be concluded, because blocking them will not benefit anyone. We are calling on the other regions to help support our prosperity and ratify the trade agreements quickly.”