Belgium’s economic growth will be supported by resilient private investment. High capacity utilization and favorable financial conditions will fuel strong private investment, although a weak labor market will affect private consumption in 2017 and 2018. Key logistics locations include Brussels, Antwerp, Liege, and Genk. In terms of the Logistics Performance Index, Belgium has boosted its position from 12 in 2012 to 6 in 2016 due to improvements in the areas of Customs, Infrastructure, International Shipment, Logistics Competence, Tracking and Tracing, and Timeliness.

Belgium's unique geographic location, its dense infrastructure with multimodal access, and its proximity to a large consumer base make it an ideal setting for logistics services. e-Commerce and retail growth along with shorter delivery times are pushing companies to optimize their supply chain; thus, they are looking at outsourcing as a solution. Belgium has a strong domestic FMCG market with local companies that compete with international FMCG companies. As online sales increases, higher logistics integration with FMCG companies is expected.

Infrastructure developments and technological advancements will drive the transportation and logistics market. The increased adoption of vehicle technologies such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and pre-crashing sensing systems helps ensure a better and safer environment. Automation in warehouse management, automated driving, augmented reality, and robotics are gaining importance in the logistics space. Companies need to customize their services and adapt themselves to the fast-changing technological environment to keep up with the dynamic market conditions and also to enhance supply chain efficiency.

Scope:
The aim of this insight is to research and analyze the key developments and trends related to economy and trade and the freight, transportation, logistics, and warehousing sectors in Belgium.

Objectives:
• To provide an overview of the key factors driving economy and trade
• To analyze the role of the transport and logistics market in driving the country’s economy
• To identify the initiatives undertaken by the government to improve efficiency and reduce logistics costs
• To furnish a detailed analysis of the advancements in digital technologies
• To provide an in-depth analysis of how the traditional value chain is transformed as a result of technology advancements, e-Commerce growth,
regulatory changes, and investment
• To identify the emerging opportunities as a result of economic and technology transformations and how they are expected to change the
competitive environment