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VERBOND VAN BELGISCHE ONDERNEMINGEN / FEDERATION DES ENTREPRISES DE BELGIQUE

VBO / FEB

The Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (VBO FEB) represents Belgian companies across industry and service sectors to promote a better business climate.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Elisa Roller (Director Secretariat-General)

22 Jan 2026 · Preparations Antwerp Business Summit 11 February

Meeting with Karen Vandekerckhove (Head of Unit Justice and Consumers)

4 Dec 2025 · Exchange on the implementation of Directive (EU) 2023/970

Meeting with Karen Vandekerckhove (Head of Unit Justice and Consumers) and BUSINESSEUROPE and

3 Dec 2025 · Exchange on the implementation of Directive (EU) 2023/970

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament)

23 Sept 2025 · Prioriteiten voor het versterken van het concurrentievermogen van de Europese bedrijven.

Meeting with Hadja Lahbib (Commissioner) and

27 May 2025 · Priorities and first initiatives of the Commission. Preparedness: role of the businesses and business organizations. Equality and the Pay transparency Directive.

Meeting with Tomas Baert (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)

13 May 2025 · Presentation on the transatlantic trade relationship

Meeting with Sophie Wilmès (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Jan 2025 · Belgian business environment

Meeting with Philippe Lamberts (Principal Adviser Inspire, Debate, Engage and Accelerate Action)

21 Jan 2025 · Future of the EU Green Deal - Clean Industrial Deal - Omnibus

Meeting with Pascal Arimont (Member of the European Parliament)

21 Jan 2025 · Exchange with Belgian employers on the topic of competitiveness

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and Vereniging VNO-NCW and FEDIL - The Voice of Luxembourg's Industry

6 Mar 2024 · Social dialogue, economic growth and job creation

Meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis (Executive Vice-President) and BUSINESSEUROPE and

16 Feb 2023 · Critical Raw Materials package

Meeting with Ivo Belet (Cabinet of Vice-President Dubravka Šuica)

9 Feb 2023 · Conference on the Future of Europe

Meeting with Kathleen Van Brempt (Member of the European Parliament) and AGORIA and

17 Jan 2023 · Roundtable discussion - A stronger Europe in the World

Meeting with Philippe Lamberts (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Jan 2023 · Visite de travail CA

Meeting with Pascal Arimont (Member of the European Parliament)

23 Jun 2022 · Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

Meeting with Koen Doens (Director-General Directorate-General for International Partnerships)

26 Apr 2022 · Platform International - Event

Meeting with Geneviève Tuts (Cabinet of Commissioner Didier Reynders), Lucrezia Busa (Cabinet of Commissioner Didier Reynders)

18 Jun 2021 · Sustainable corporate governance

Meeting with Ivo Belet (Cabinet of Vice-President Dubravka Šuica), Toma Šutić (Cabinet of Vice-President Dubravka Šuica)

21 May 2021 · Consultation on the EC's Proposals on Due Diligence and Sustainable Corporate Governance

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

30 Apr 2021 · Meeting on Minimum Wage, cross-border workers in the Benelux region and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan.

Response to Proposal for a Regulation - Regional and urban Policy

20 Apr 2021

La Fédération des Entreprises de Belgique (FEB) considère qu'il est important que le BAR réponde au mieux aux demandes des entreprises touchées par le Brexit. Un premier mapping des dépenses faites pour répondre à l’impact du Brexit montre les coûts suivants : 1. Baisse du commerce bilatéral avec le Royaume-Uni O Certains secteurs parlent de 35% de leurs entreprises qui ont vu des baisses d’échanges commerciaux, d’autres ont « perdu » 10 ans et se retrouvent à nouveau au niveau de 2009 2. Préparation du BREXIT opérationnel (Dépenses antérieures au 01/01/2021) O coûts des mises en conformité aux futures nouvelles règles/procédures UE/UK (licences et certificats, enregistrements, procédures douanières, questions liées aux RH, etc.) O frais liés au recours à la consultance pour encadrer la préparation O frais liés au re-design des supply-chains internes pour diminuer la dépendance au marché UK O … 3. Impact du BREXIT opérationnel (Coûts/Dépenses depuis le 01/01/2021) O Coûts des files d’attente (en BE ou au UK) ou des retards dans les exportations/importations O Coûts des nouvelles procédures douanières/contrôles divers/TVA O Frais liés à l’outsourcing de certaines activités / formalités via des sociétés tierces O … 4. Stratégies commerciales O Frais liés à la recherche de nouveaux clients ou nouveaux fournisseurs hors-UK Ces difficultés et coûts sont tout à fait cross-sectoriels. C’est pourquoi nous nous permettons de mettre l’accent sur l’importance des points suivants : 1) la rétroactivité prévue dans la proposition (mesures prises par les autorités depuis 07/2020) doit s’appliquer aussi aux impacts sur les entreprises/secteurs ; 2) un maximum de flexibilité doit être laissée aux autorités nationales/locales pour calibrer au mieux le soutien aux entreprises/secteurs les plus touchés ; 3) il faut limiter le scope aux 2 facteurs proposés par la CE (impact sur la pêche et impact sur les échanges commerciaux) --> il ne faut pas rajouter des éléments comme impact sur le tourisme, etc. et 4) le soutien aux acteurs impactés par les évolutions dans la pêche doit rester proportionnel au regard de ce que ce secteur représente dans l’économie UE.
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Meeting with Didier Reynders (Commissioner) and

12 Jan 2021 · due diligence

Belgian business federation urges binding fuel infrastructure targets

4 May 2020
Topic — The European Union is revising rules to accelerate the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure.
Message — The group wants mandatory national targets and a right for companies to install plugs. They support technology neutrality and standardized payment systems for ease of use across Europe.123
Why — Binding infrastructure targets would reduce the risks for businesses investing in cleaner vehicle fleets.4
Impact — National governments would face high costs and legal obligations to meet mandatory infrastructure targets.5
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Meeting with Didier Reynders (Commissioner)

17 Apr 2020 · Impact of Covid-19 on the Belgian and European economies, EU actions, exit and recovery strategies

Belgian business federation urges energy tax exemptions for industry

1 Apr 2020
Topic — The European Commission is updating taxation rules for energy products and electricity.
Message — The federation requests exemptions for energy-intensive industries and exclusion of sectors already covered by emissions trading. They want carbon taxes limited to final fuel use while avoiding double taxation.123
Why — These measures would shield heavy industry from higher costs and international competition.4
Impact — National budgets may suffer if consumers structurally escape newly proposed energy taxes.5
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Belgian business federation urges clarity on carbon border tax

27 Mar 2020
Topic — The EU is consulting on a mechanism to price carbon on imports.
Message — The federation demands a thorough impact assessment on industrial competitiveness and trade retaliation risks. They insist that exporters must be compensated for climate costs to maintain a level playing field.12
Why — This would protect the profitability of Belgian exporters and reduce their compliance costs.3
Impact — Global trade partners face potential discrimination and may initiate harmful economic retaliation measures.4
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Belgian businesses urge including petrochemicals in Just Transition Fund

12 Mar 2020
Topic — The Commission is consulting on the investment plan for a sustainable Europe.
Message — The federation demands including building renovations and petrochemical jobs in the fund's criteria. They propose measuring energy intensity at the national level to represent industrial regions fairly.123
Why — This ensures Belgian petrochemical hubs and refineries can access EU decarbonization subsidies.4
Impact — Wealthier member states currently benefitting from the fund would see their financial support reduced.5
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Meeting with Ylva Johansson (Commissioner) and

2 Mar 2020 · Consultations on the New Pact on Migrations

Meeting with Geneviève Tuts (Cabinet of Commissioner Didier Reynders)

14 Feb 2020 · Preparation for Cssr Reynders intervention at March 9th conference

Meeting with Michel Barnier (Head of Task Force Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom)

26 Oct 2018 · Meeting with the Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU

Meeting with Johannes Laitenberger (Director-General Competition)

17 Sept 2018 · Exchange on competition policy and European champions, on equality of treatment in fiscal State aid and on international level-playing field

Meeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen), Stefaan Hermans (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

15 Jul 2016 · EU climate and energy policy

Meeting with Hilde Hardeman (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen), Miguel Gil Tertre (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen)

28 Jun 2016 · Investment plan implementation

Meeting with Jos Delbeke (Director-General Climate Action)

15 Feb 2016 · Climate and Energy governance

Meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis (Vice-President) and

26 Jan 2016 · FEB-VBO Social Academy event; speech on the social dialogue, role of the social partners at EU and Belgium levels, and the Commission priorities to strengthen EU social policy.

Meeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

11 Dec 2015 · Labour mobility

Meeting with Stefaan Hermans (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

7 Jul 2015 · Employment and social priorities

Meeting with Marianne Thyssen (Commissioner)

29 Jun 2015 · Employment and social policy priorities

Meeting with Aurore Maillet (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

4 Jun 2015 · Circular Economy

Meeting with Sarah Nelen (Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

4 Jun 2015 · circular economy

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (First Vice-President) and Boerenbond vzw and

11 May 2015 · Better Regulation

Meeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

8 May 2015 · Free movement of workers

Meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis (Vice-President) and

30 Apr 2015 · Meeting in frames of European Semester meetings with Belgian Authorities and Social Partners

Meeting with Stefaan Hermans (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

24 Feb 2015 · Courtesy visit, presentation of VBO