Almost a third of Belgian companies expect their workforce to shrink next year, according to a survey by the Federation of Belgian Chambers of Commerce.
The results show that 27.6% of companies anticipate a decline in their employment, while 23.1% expect to grow their workforce, highlighting a downbeat mood among businesses as workers in Belgium struggle to find employment.
The Federation’s survey highlights the causes of weak employment growth, with roughly one in three (30.3%) firms expecting their domestic sales to decline next year.
Meanwhile, almost half (45%) of the 894 businesses surveyed say they are pessimistic about the coming year, compared with just 13.5% who are optimistic.
The Federation, which represents Belgium’s chambers of commerce, including Beci in Brussels, described business confidence as worrying.
“Belgian businesses have never stopped being enterprising. They want to continue exporting and investing. But confidence is lacking,” explained Wouter Van Gulck, Chief Executive of Belgian Chambers. “Businesses need to regain prospects for growth and job creation.”
Expectations for the Belgian market are particularly weak. Only 16.4% of respondents expect sales in Belgium to rise in 2027, while 30.3% predict a decline.
The outlook is slightly better for exports and investment. Some 32.1% of companies expect exports to increase, compared with 26.5% that foresee a fall. Investment expectations follow a similar pattern. Again, 32.1% anticipate growth, while 29.6% expect investment to decline.
Van Gulck said businesses need renewed prospects for growth and job creation, with the survey pointing to rising costs for businesses.
Labour costs are the main concern for Belgian businesses, with 57.3% of respondents identifying them as a major challenge for 2027. Administrative and regulatory burdens come next at 47%.
Energy and raw material costs were cited by 39.7% of companies, while 34.6% pointed to a shortage of skilled workers.
“Belgian entrepreneurs are sending politicians a particularly clear shopping list: reduce labour costs and ease regulatory pressure,” Van Gulck said. “If we want to stimulate investment, growth and employment, those are precisely the areas where Belgium’s priorities should lie.”
Business confidence in Belgium is weaker than that across Europe, even though it remains low at the European level, according to the annual Eurochambres Economic Survey 2027.
However, expectations across the continent for both domestic sales and exports have been improving for the first time in years. The 34th edition of the Eurochambres Survey covered 40,717 business leaders across 27 countries.
Belgian business concerns also differ from those elsewhere in Europe. At the European level, energy and raw material costs top the list, followed by regulatory pressure, labour costs and shortages of qualified workers.
