Flemish entrepreneurs take on red tape
Flemish Entrepreneurs, a coalition between the Flemish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Voka) and various employers' organisations, has launched Wetwachers.be (Law Watchers) to tackle excessive administrative burdens in Flanders. They have identified 25 "redundant laws and regulations", which they will present to the Flemish government on Friday.
Entrepreneurs argue that Flanders is struggling under increasing bureaucratic pressure, with new regulations being introduced every year. They claim that this stifles productivity and undermines the competitiveness of businesses. That's why they are calling for a reduction in unnecessary administrative regulations.
The Wetwatchers.be initiative highlights specific laws that they believe should be abolished or amended. These include stopping subsidies to environmental organisations that legally challenge government policy, removing an extra QR code on energy bills and bringing vehicle inspections into line with EU standards by reducing their frequency.
Less and simpler regulation
The initiative also provides an online platform for businesses to report excessive regulation. At the same time, entrepreneurs have proposed a "Charter for Less and Simpler Regulation", which calls for policy-making to be driven by competitiveness, to avoid unnecessary extensions of EU rules and to focus on achieving objectives efficiently.
The Flemish Entrepreneurs will present their action plan to the Flemish government on Friday after the council of ministers. In recent weeks, the government has been working on its own strategy on this issue. In fact, minister-president Matthias Diependaele will also present a policy paper outlining plans to simplify administration and reduce regulatory pressure.
#FlandersNewsService | Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele and Voka CEO Hans Maertens pictured during a protest action of Voka, Flanders' Chamber of Commerce and Industry. © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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