Report on the Walloon Economy (Draft) (Wallonie Entreprendre)

Summary

• Wallonia ranked 54th among 98 European NUTS 1 regions on GDP per capita in 2013, while Flanders ranked 22nd.p.14
• Before 2010 Wallonia's GDP grew 3.6% annually versus 2.4% for traditional industrial regions; from 2010 to 2013 growth was 2.0% versus 1.6% for the fifteen regions.p.15
• Wallonia's GDP per capita is -26% relative to Belgium.p.21
• Apparent labour productivity in Wallonia is 12% below the Belgian average but exceeds the EU 28 average by 23% in 2015 and the euro area by 14%.p.21
• The employment rate in Wallonia is only 59%, against 64% for Belgium as a whole.p.21
• Brussels had a GDP per capita 71% above the national average in 2015.p.21

Key insights

1. Productivity contributes 11 points of the 26-point GDP per capita gap between Wallonia and Belgium.p.21
2. Commuting abroad from the region accounts for 8 further points of the gap.p.21
3. The relatively low employment rate accounts for 7 additional points of the gap.p.21
4. The share of 15-64 year-olds is about 65% of the population in both Wallonia and Flanders.p.21
5. Traditional industrial regions have a GDP per capita about 24% higher than Wallonia.p.15