VARIO in panel debate on access to financing for defence technology and industry in Belgium

On 25 April, the Representation of the European Commission in Belgium, with the support of Itinera, organised an event for Belgian defence and technology companies and for financial institutions, experts and policymakers on the opportunities and challenges that the new defence cooperation offers Belgium. The event included keynote speeches by Thomas de Béthune, head of the Representation of the European Commission in Belgium, Anne Fort, Deputy Chief of Staff to European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, Belgian Minister of Defence Theo Francken and Robert de Groot, Vice-President of the EIB. There were also two panel debates. The first dealt with the future of Belgian defence technology and industry. The second panel debate focused on access to financing for defence technology and industry in Belgium. VARIO policy advisor Annelies Wastyn took part in this debate and addressed, among other things, the question of how defence fits into Flemish innovation policy today. The event concluded with a debate with the regional authorities, in which Pierre-Yves Jeholet (Vice-President of the Walloon Government), Simon Gheysen (Chief of Staff to the Minister-President of the Flemish Government) and Gerd Van Den Eede (hub.Brussels) took the floor. Marc De Vos, co-CEO of Itinera, formulated the final conclusions.