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Dans un souci de transparence et d’information, le BFP publie régulièrement les méthodes et résultats de ses travaux. Les publications sont organisées en séries, entre autres, les perspectives, les working papers et planning papers. Certains rapports peuvent également être consultés ici, de même que les bulletins du Short Term Update publiés jusqu’en 2015. Une recherche par thématique, type de publication, auteur et année vous est proposée.
À la demande du Conseil des ministres et en collaboration avec l’Agence pour la simplification administrative (asa), le Bureau fédéral du Plan est chargé d’estimer le montant des charges administratives pesant sur les entreprises et les indépendants en Belgique. Cette estimation est basée sur la technique de l’enquête auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de la population à étudier. En plus de la dimension quantitative, l’enquête contient aussi un important volet qualitatif permettant de rendre compte de l’opinion des entreprises et des indépendants sur la problématique des charges administratives. Ce Planning Paper présente les résultats de l’enquête portant sur les charges administratives de l’année 2020.
Séries clôturées - Planning paper 118 (fr), (nl),
Le fonds de vieillissement instauré en 2001 en tant qu’instrument devant garantir la soutenabilité de long terme des finances publiques a été supprimé en 2016. Sa suppression symbolise le passage d'une stratégie de préfinancement du coût budgétaire du vieillissement, dominante au début des années 2000, à une stratégie fondée principalement sur des réformes du modèle socio-économique, initiée après la grande crise et résolument accentuée ces dernières années. Ce planning paper décrit les facteurs économiques et institutionnels à l'origine de cette réorientation de la politique de soutenabilité, ainsi que le rôle des différents acteurs : les gouvernements, bien entendu, mais également le Conseil supérieur des Finances, les autorités européennes et, aussi, le Bureau fédéral du Plan dont un quart de siècle d’analyses et de chiffrages de long terme ont tant reflété que contribué à guider la politique menée.
Séries clôturées - Planning paper 117 (fr), (nl),
À la demande du Conseil des ministres et en collaboration avec l’Agence pour la simplification administrative (asa), le Bureau fédéral du Plan est chargé d’estimer, tous les deux ans, le montant des charges administratives pesant sur les entreprises et les indépendants en Belgique. Cette estimation est basée sur la technique de l’enquête auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de la population à étudier. En plus de la dimension quantitative, l’enquête contient aussi un important volet qualitatif permettant de rendre compte de l’opinion des entreprises et des indépendants sur la problématique des charges administratives. Ce Planning Paper présente les résultats de l’enquête portant sur les charges administratives de l’année 2016.
Séries clôturées - Planning paper 116 (fr), (nl),
À la demande du Conseil des ministres et en collaboration avec l’Agence pour la simplification administrative (ASA), le Bureau fédéral du Plan est chargé d’estimer, tous les deux ans, le montant des charges administratives pesant sur les entreprises et les indépendants en Belgique. Cette estimation est basée sur la technique de l’enquête auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de la population à étudier. Cette huitième enquête suit la même méthodologie que celle utilisée lors des sept précédentes enquêtes évaluant les charges administratives des années 2000 à 2012. En plus de la dimension quantitative, l’enquête contient aussi un important volet qualitatif permettant de rendre compte de l’opinion des entreprises et des indépendants sur la problématique des charges administratives. Ce Planning Paper présente les résultats de l’enquête portant sur les charges administratives de l’année 2014. Il a pour objet de commenter les tendances tant quantitatives que qualitatives qui ressortent de l’enquête sans en expliquer les causes. L’explication des évolutions de la perception des charges administratives par les entreprises et les indépendants sort donc du cadre de cette étude.
Séries clôturées - Planning paper 115 (fr), (nl),
Short Term Update (STU) is the quarterly newsletter of the Belgian Federal Planning Bureau. It contains the main conclusions from the publications of the FPB, as well as information on new publications, together with an analysis of the most recent economic indicators.
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 02-15 (en),
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 01-15 (en),
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 04-14 (en),
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 03-14 (en),
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 02-14 (en),
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 01-14 (en),
À la demande du Conseil de ministres et en collaboration avec l’Agence pour la simplification administrative, le Bureau fédéral du Plan estime, tous les deux ans, le montant des charges administratives pesant sur les entreprises et les indépendants belges. Cette estimation est basée sur la technique de l’enquête auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de la population à étudier. Cette septième enquête suit la même méthodologie que celle utilisée lors des six précédentes enquêtes évaluant les charges administratives des années 2000 à 2010. En plus de la dimension quantitative, l’enquête contient aussi un important volet qualitatif permettant de rendre compte de l’opinion des entreprises et des indépendants sur la problématique des charges administratives. Ce Planning Paper présente les résultats de l’enquête portant sur les charges administratives de l’année 2012. Il a pour objectif de commenter les tendances tant quantitatives que qualitatives qui ressortent de l’enquête sans en expliquer les causes. L’explication des évolutions de la perception des charges administratives par les entreprises et les indépendants sort donc du cadre de cette étude.
Séries clôturées - Planning paper 114 (fr), (nl),
Short Term Update (STU) is the quarterly newsletter of the Belgian Federal Planning Bureau. It contains the main conclusions from the publications of the FPB, as well as information on new publications, together with an analysis of the most recent economic indicators
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 04-13 (en),
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 03-13 (en),
Ce Planning Paper répond au besoin d’information sur la notion de Vision à long terme (VLT) de développement durable. Il définit les concepts de base et certaines applications récentes ou en cours à différents niveaux de gouvernance. Il situe dans ce cadre l'obligation introduite en 2010 dans la loi sur la stratégie fédérale belge de développement durable d’adopter une VLT pour guider l’élaboration des Plans et des Rapports fédéraux. Ce Planning Paper décrit aussi les contributions de différentes institutions et parties prenantes à l'élaboration de cette VLT adoptée en 2013. Il présente enfin les objectifs à 2050 et les indicateurs de cette VLT et tire les conclusions de ce processus fédéral.
Séries clôturées - Planning paper 113 (fr), (nl),
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 02-13 (en),
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 01-13 (en),
The FPB’s latest forecast dates from September and predicted, conditional on our traditional assumption of unchanged budgetary policy, a GDP growth rate of -0.1% in 2012 and 0.7% in 2013 for the Belgian economy. This forecast was established against a background of euro area GDP growth amounting to -0.5% and 0.3% for those years respectively.
The Belgian GDP flash estimate matched our forecast of zero qoq GDP growth in 2012Q3, and recent forecasts of the European Commission (October) and the OECD (November) were in line with the FPB forecast. National as well as international leading indicators (such as the Ifo, PMI, and the NBB business cycle indicators) are tentatively stabilising, implying that a modest recovery for the euro area as a whole and for Belgium in the course of 2013 remains plausible.
We have not yet estimated the economic impact of the Belgian government’s decisions taken in November (which are summarised in the “policy measures” section on page 21), but expect it to be quite small. The federal government’s effort to reduce the budget deficit to 2.15% of GDP in 2013 focuses on measures of which the impact on economic activity should be limited. Important risks to the international scenario still remain. These encompass a new intensification of the European sovereign debt crisis, the possibility that the US economy will fall back into recession if the fiscal cliff materialises, and a surge in oil prices because of turmoil in the Middle East. Finally, additional fiscal consolidation efforts in the euro area could have adverse effects on short-term aggregate demand as there is evidence that fiscal multipliers are currently higher than in normal economic conditions.
Our next short-term forecast will be published in February 2013.
STU 04-12 was finalised on 4 December 2012.
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 04-12 (en),
Le Bureau fédéral du Plan a rédigé, en mai 2012, un rapport intermédiaire sur la compétitivité de la Belgique en réponse à une demande du Premier Ministre dans le cadre de la première phase de l’élaboration du plan de relance. Ce rapport établissait le diagnostic de la compétitivité belge et devait permettre d’éclairer le gouvernement sur la situation de la Belgique relativement aux trois pays voisins. Les analyses se sont poursuivies en vue de mettre en évidence les déterminants de la compétitivité et par là, les principaux défis à relever pour l’améliorer. La publication actuelle, finalisée le 26 octobre 2012, synthétise ces analyses. Elle a été communiquée au Premier Ministre et au Ministre de l’économie comme appui technique à la deuxième phase du plan de relance dans le cadre de l’élaboration du budget 2013.
Séries clôturées - Planning Paper 112 (fr), (nl),
Since 2011Q2, economic growth in the euro area has been affected by the global slowdown and, above all, by the sovereign debt crisis. After negative GDP growth in 2011Q4 and 2012Q2, economic activity is expected to have contracted further in 2012Q3, resulting in a 0.5% decline in real GDP this year. A slight recovery is expected in the course of 2013, but annual euro area GDP growth should remain limited to 0.3%. This scenario remains highly uncertain as policy makers' decisiveness in tackling the euro crisis will be crucial to restore consumer and investor confidence.
Belgian economic activity should decline slightly in 2012 (-0.1%) due to adverse economic conditions in Europe and budgetary austerity. The recent development of consumer and business confidence suggests that Belgian economic activity should stabilize in 2012Q3 after a marked decline in 2012Q2. From 2012Q4 onwards, GDP growth should gradually pick up in the wake of a tentative upswing in the euro area and reach 0.7% on an annual basis in 2013.
Domestic employment fell in 2012Q1 and should only start to recover from the beginning of 2013 onwards. In 2012, the net increase in employment should amount to 11 000 units on average as it benefits from a favourable carry-over from 2011. In 2013, employment is expected to rise by 13 700 units. As employment growth falls behind the increase in the labour force for two consecutive years, unemployment is expected to rise by 9 100 units this year and by 24 000 units next year. As a result, the harmonised unemployment rate (Eurostat definition) for Belgium should rise from 7.2% in 2011 to 7.4% in 2013.
According to our most recent inflation forecasts, finalised at the end of September, Belgian inflation, as measured by the yoy growth rate of the national consumer price index, should cool from 2.8% in 2012 to 1.7% in 2013. This is mainly due to a slight decrease in the crude oil price, but also to the fact that some fiscal measures taken in 2012 will no longer affect yoy growth of consumer prices from the beginning of 2013 onwards.
STU 3-12 was finalised on 3 October 2012.
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 03-12 (en),
Le règlement européen (UE) n° 691/ 2011 impose à tous les Etats membres d’établir, chaque année à partir de 2013, trois comptes économiques de l’environnement et de les soumettre à Eurostat. Il s’agit des comptes des émissions atmosphériques (AEA), des comptes relatifs aux taxes environnementales (ETEA) et des comptes de flux de matières à l’échelle de l’économie (EW-MFA). Grâce aux projets- pilotes cofinancés par Eurostat, le Bureau fédéral du Plan a acquis, au cours des dix dernières années, une expertise dans la construction et l’analyse des AEA et ETEA. Il a en outre développé des comptes de la consommation d’énergie, qui présentent un lien direct avec les comptes des émissions atmosphériques, ainsi que des comptes de dépenses de protection de l’environnement (EPEA). La présente publication synthétise les résultats de ces quatre comptes de l’environnement. En ce qui concerne les EW-MFA, les résultats ne sont pas encore disponibles.
Séries clôturées - Planning Paper 111 (fr), (nl),
The new economic outlook for Belgium for the period 2012-2017 is based on a context of budget consolidation and weak economic growth for Europe. After a year 2012 marked by a mild recession, the euro area should gradually recover the path of growth. However, this growth would be modest and mixed according to country. The main risk factor for these growth forecasts lies in the sovereign debt crisis and the evolution of the financial sector in the euro area.
Despite this unfavourable context, the Belgium economy should avoid a recession in 2012 and register GDP growth equal to 1.4% in 2013. From 2014 onwards, Belgian economic growth should become more dynamic, without exceeding 2%. Export growth should amount to 3.7% on average on an annual basis over the period 2014-2017, which means that the loss of market share should persist (1.3 percentage points per year). Over the same period, domestic demand should have an annual growth rate of 1.6%, causing GDP to increase by 1.9% on average per year.
Belgian inflation should exceed largely 2% in 2012, owing to a new rise in energy prices, the depreciation of the euro against the dollar, and increases in indirect taxes, but should fall below 2% in 2013, notably thanks to lower oil prices. In the context of a moderate rise in international energy prices, Belgian inflation should stabilize at 1.8% on average during the period 2014-2017.
Total domestic employment should increase by 8 000 units this year and by 14 000 units next year. From 2014 onwards, total employment is expected to increase by 188 000 jobs over the period 2014-2017. The number of unemployed persons (broad administrative concept) should rise between 2012 and 2014 (+ 64 000 units). Over the following years, employment should grow more strongly, while the labour force continues to expand, partially due to the pension reform. As a result, the decrease in unemployment should remain limited to 33 000 units during the period 2015-2017. Finally, as measured by the Eurostat definition, which allows for international comparisons, the unemployment rate should amount to 7.3% in 2013, compared to 7.2% in 2011.
Driven by the federal government's consolidation measures and the federate bodies' ongoing budgetary consolidation, the general government's deficit should shrink to 2.6% of GDP this year (compared to 3.7% in 2011) and thus meet the objective of the Stability Programme. Without additional measures, the general government's deficit should again increase to 2.8% of GDP in 2013. In the medium term, the deficit should shrink slightly to attain 2.5% of GDP in 2017. To reach a balanced budget in 2015 (as planned by the Stability Programme), additional measures amounting to EUR 11 billion are thus necessary.
STU 2-12 was finalised on 1 June 2012.
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 02-12 (en),
Since the start of 2012, tensions in money and bond markets have receded somewhat in most euro countries. Together with the recent uptick in most confidence indicators, this is expected to lead to a bottoming out of European GDP. Assuming the sovereign debt crisis does not intensify again, economic activity should gradually pick up in the second half of the year. Nonetheless, on a yearly basis, this implies negative euro area GDP growth of -0.3%, which is a substantial downward revision as compared to our September forecasts (1.2%). This scenario remains highly uncertain, with renewed turmoil in financial markets as the main risk.
Belgian economic growth amounted to 1.9% in 2011, although economic activity fell slightly during the second semester. In 2012, quarterly growth should remain very modest against the background of a gradual pick-up in the European business cycle and of the austerity measures already taken by the Belgian government. Economic activity ought to stabilize in 2012Q1, followed by a slight export-led upturn (up to qoq growth of 0.2% in 2012Q4). Economic growth should remain limited to 0.1% on a yearly basis.
Due to the lack of dynamism in the business cycle, job creation has stagnated since mid-2011 and should only slightly recover in the course of this year, leading to an average annual increase of 6 400 units in 2012. As a result, the harmonised unemployment rate (Eurostat definition) should rise from 7.2% in 2011 to 7.5% in 2012.
Our most recent inflation forecasts were finalised at the end of February. Belgian inflation, as measured by the yoy growth rate of the national consumer price index, should amount to 3.0% on average this year. This upward revision (compared to our 2.7% forecast at the end of January) is largely due to price increases for energy products as a result of higher oil prices.
STU 1-12 was finalised on 16 March 2012.
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 01-12 (en),
A la demande du Conseil de ministres et en collaboration avec l’Agence pour la simplification administrative, le Bureau fédéral du Plan estime, depuis 2001, tous les deux ans, le montant des charges administratives pesant sur les entreprises et les indépendants belges. Cette estimation est basée sur la technique de l’enquête auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de la population à étudier. Cette technique est identique à celle utilisée lors des précédentes enquêtes évaluant les charges administratives des années 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 et 2008. En plus de la dimension quantitative, l’enquête contient aussi un important volet qualitatif permettant de rendre compte de l’opinion des entreprises et des indépendants sur la problématique des charges administratives. Ce Planning Paper présente les résultats de l’enquête portant sur les charges administratives de l’année 2010. Il a pour objectif de commenter les tendances tant quantitatives que qualitatives qui ressortent de l’enquête sans en expliquer les causes. L’explication des évolutions de la perception des charges administratives par les entreprises et les indépendants sort donc du cadre de ce rapport.
Séries clôturées - Planning Paper 110 (fr), (nl),
The European Union set up the Europe 2020 Strategy as the successor to the Lisbon Strategy to monitor and stimulate structural reform by the Member States. In the first semester of each year (the so-called European Semester), the Member States compile their Stability & Convergence and National Reform Programmes. At the turn of the semester the European Council develops policy recommendations to be implemented, preferably during the second semester. Sound performance on structural issues lays a foundation for healthy potential growth around which the business cycle oscillates.
Following the calendar of this renewed strategy, the Federal Planning Bureau decided to move the structural performance update – traditionally published in December - to the March issue and adapt the calendar of the business-cycle updates accordingly. The present December issue is, however, a one-off issue exclusively devoted to the system of innovation. Innovation has been recognised in the Europe 2020 strategy as the first of seven ‘flagships’ that should secure smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. Innovation should have a positive impact on productivity growth and hence encourage potential GDP growth and employment. Measured in terms of R&D, not more than a few Member States achieve an innovation effort that is comparable to that of the other advanced economies of the world.
The system of innovation is an assembly of six interlinked dimensions: knowledge development by R&D; human resources; valorisation of R&D, e.g. through patents; innovation absorption capacity within and among enterprises; entrepreneurship; and financing. A good performance on each of the six is needed for a system to perform optimally. This December issue monitors the performance of Belgium on each of the dimensions. Other EU countries, the USA, and Japan serve as a benchmark. The performance seems to be mixed, so efforts are still needed to drive further improvement of the Belgian innovation system as a condition for growth and jobs.
STU 04-11 was finalised on 16 December 2011.
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 04-11 (en),
Headlines Belgian economy
Euro area economic growth slowed down substantially in 2011Q2 (0.2%), after a vigorous 0.8% in 2011Q1. The economic slack is expected to continue during the rest of this year due to the weakening in world trade growth and a major decline in consumer and business confidence. Under the assumption that financial market tensions, which are driven by worries about Europe’s sovereign debt, recede towards the end of this year (i.e., if European monetary and fiscal policy makers can restore calm), quarterly GDP growth should accelerate gradually in the course of next year. However, even then, euro area growth should not exceed 1.2% for 2012 as a whole. However, if the turmoil in financial markets persists or worsens, households and businesses could further reduce their spending and European banks could face (additional) losses on their holdings of sovereign debt. This would endanger any economic recovery.
The global economic slowdown should have a significant impact on Belgian GDP growth in the second half of this year (0.2% per quarter on average). In our baseline scenario, quarterly growth should gradually recover in the course of next year. On a yearly basis, however, this would lead to a deceleration in GDP growth from 2.4% in 2011 to 1.6% in 2012.
Domestic employment rose sharply between 2010Q1 and 2011Q1. In the second half of this year and in the course of 2012, far fewer jobs are expected to be created, owing to the economic slowdown. Backed by a favourable starting point, employment should still increase by 54 200 units on average in 2011. In 2012, net job creation should remain limited to around 30 000 units. The number of unemployed should still decrease by 23 600 units this year, but rise by 9 500 units next year. As a result, the unemployment rate (Eurostat definition) should rise from 7.3% in 2011 to 7.4% in 2012.
Our most recent inflation forecasts were finalised at the end of September. Belgian inflation, as measured by the yoy growth rate of the national consumer price index, should accelerate to 3.4% on average this year (compared to 2.2% in 2010), mainly as a result of higher crude oil prices. According to futures market quotations, oil prices should remain below their peak levels of April 2011. This should bring consumer price inflation down to 1.8% on average in 2012.
STU 3-11 was finalised on 29 September 2011.
Séries clôturées - Short Term Update 03-11 (en),
Bureau fédéral du Plan
