FLANDERS: NEVER JUDGE A REGION BY ITS SIZE

Facts about Belgium and Flanders1

Facts about Belgium and Flanders• Independence in 1830, constitutional monarchy• Federal state with regions & communities • Population: 6.3 mio (11 mio)• Area: 13,522 km² (30,528 km²)• Capital: Brussels (Brussels)• Official languages: Dutch, French & German• GDP: 202.5 bn € (368.9 bn €)• > Ireland, Austria, Finland, Hong Kong, Singapore

• GDP/capita: 32,300 € (Canada slightly higher)

Bilateral trade Canada - Belgium2

Trade Canada – Belgium (bn €)

Exports from Belgium to

CanadaExports from Canada

to Belgium

0.000

0.500

1.000

1.500

2.000

2.500

3.000

201120122013201420152016 (Jan-May)

Source: ACE

90.15% of Belgian exports to Canada = from Flanders!

Doing business is a driving force of the Flemish economy!

“Flanders is a super trading economy” Paul Krugman

2008 Nobel Prize economist winner

Why is investing in Flanders attractive for Canadian companies?1

10 good reasons to invest in Flanders• Central location at the heart of Europe!

• ‘Golden Banana’: 60% of buying power withina 500 km radius;

• Brussels: home to EU & NATO.

• Outstanding transport infrastructure• Multimodal platforms: seaports, airports, road, railroad

& inland waterway networks;• Highest density of EDC’s: > 400 in Flanders.

10 good reasons to invest in Flanders• Globally recognized human capital

• Productivity index high in comparison with neigbouring countries or Japan and USA (IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook);

• High-performance education system.

• High quality of life for expats• Excellent healthcare & education;• Social fibre & open minded people;• Cultural diversity.

10 good reasons to invest in Flanders• Series of tax benefits and fiscal incentives!

• From Belgian government:• Notional Interest Deduction• Innovative Income Deduction• Investment Deduction• Salary withholding tax exemption for researchers• Salary withholding tax exemption for night & shift work for blue collar workers

• From Flemish government:• Cash grants for strategic transformation aid• Support for ecological investments• R&D project aid• SME portfolio

10 good reasons to invest in Flanders• Tax Rulings by MinEco• Advance ruling valid for 5 years• Possibility to renew 5 years

• Canada – Belgium Income Tax Convention• Replaced treaty signed in 1975;• In force since Oct 2004.

Which sectors?Sustainable growth for major industries!• Logistics• Automotive• Chemicals & Plastics• Food & Lifestyle• Life Sciences & Biotech• ICT• Environmental & Clean Technologies• …

Why invest in Flanders?• Assemble or add value to your product in EU? • Or manufacture in Europe?

Existing eco-systemLocal suppliersLocal customers

Thriving clustersLogistics (www.vil.be)Food (www.flandersfood.be)Bike (www.flandersbikevalley.be)Chemicals (www.essenscia.be)Life Sciences & Pharma (www.flandersbio.be)Etc.

Why invest in Flanders? Existing R&D centers

Life Sciences (www.vib.be)Digital technologies (www.iminds.be)Nano Electronics & Nanotechnology

(www.imec.be)Technological industry (www.vito.be)Advanced manufacturing (www.flandersmake.be)Textiles (www.centexbel.be)Etc.

Contact us today!Professional support in setting up your operations

• Dedicated project manager in Vancouver for Western Canada & in Brussels

• Free & confidential advice• Organisation of site visits• …

Join these Canadian Investors in Flanders!

Neil BelenkieInvest Representative in Western Canada

Tel 604 839 5313 vancouver@fitagency.com – www.investinflanders.be