Belgium 2016 Article IV Consultation--Press Release; Staff Report

This paper discusses economic development and policies of Belgium. The new government has taken important steps to support job creation and address the cost of aging-notably through wage moderation, pension reform, and a tax shift. But growth prospects remain mediocre, public debt very high, and the...

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Bibliographic Details
Corporate Author: International Monetary Fund European Dept
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Washington, D.C. International Monetary Fund 2016
Series:IMF Staff Country Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:
Collection: International Monetary Fund - Collection details see MPG.ReNa
Description
Summary:This paper discusses economic development and policies of Belgium. The new government has taken important steps to support job creation and address the cost of aging-notably through wage moderation, pension reform, and a tax shift. But growth prospects remain mediocre, public debt very high, and the labor market severely fragmented. The central task is to achieve a lasting reduction in public debt while nurturing the recovery and social cohesion. The government's goal of achieving structural fiscal balance by 2018 is laudable but ambitious-with almost two percent of GDP of measures yet to be identified. Tapping Belgium's full labor market potential requires a comprehensive and inclusive jobs strategy
Physical Description:60 pages
ISBN:9781513547480