A prime location for European and international trade

West Flanders could easily claim to be at the centre of Europe’s economic activity. It is just an hour’s drive from the decision making powers of European institutions in Brussels, the Belgian and European capital. It is also close to leading European financial and trade centres such as London, Paris, Lille, Frankfurt, the Ruhr area and Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Thanks to its excellent supporting infrastructure and transport network, it is accessible and well placed
for business.

A region dedicated to entrepreneurship

Small businesses have been the backbone of West Flanders growth for centuries. The region encourages and supports entrepreneurship and is open to opportunity, creativity and high tech development. SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) are an important source of employment and are prolific in West Flanders. Foreign entrepreneurs are also encouraged to form businesses in West Flanders thanks to tax benefits, financial incentives and easy
company setup.

A rich and varied network of economic clusters

Few countries have so many specialised economic clusters near each other. West Flanders is a growing economic area. Its several economic clusters include: agro-food, technical textiles and machinery, mechatronics, image technology, plastics processing and industrial design. It is the powerhouse of Belgian agriculture and is known worldwide as the vegetable garden of Europe.