BELGIUM Positive effects resulting from the application and the integration of the Maritime State Aid Guidelines in the Belgian Shipping Policy a. Fiscal alleviation measures In 2002, Belgium introduced a tonnage tax regime which entered into force on 1.1.2003. The regime was adapted in 2004. Belgium also introduced an alternative regime of tax facilities for shipping companies, which entered into force on 1.1.2003, notably accelerated depreciation, tax exemption of capital gains, investment deduction and notional interest deduction. The following effects were noted: Flagged fleet The Belgian flagged fleet has been growing since the application of fiscal alleviation measures as of 2003. Before 2004, there were no merchant ships flying the Belgian flag. The Belgian register only consisted of some tugboats. Merchant ships were registered in Luxembourg or in a third country register. Since the new version of the Belgian register the Belgian flagged merchant fleet grew from some hundred thousand gross ton in the first years of the new millennium till about 4 million gross ton in 2010. Belgian flagged merchant fleet 4.500.000 GT 4.000.000 3.500.000 3.000.000 2.500.000 2.000.000 1.500.000 1.000.000 500.000 0 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Source : Policy Research Corporation (as at the 1 st of January) 1
Controlled fleet 1 The application of fiscal alleviation measures has also had positive effects for the Belgian controlled fleet. Since 2004, this fleet has been growing from 6.39 million DWT to almost 13 million DWT in 2011. The Belgian controlled fleet now ranks as number 20 on the world ranking list. In comparison, in 2003, just before the flagging-in took place, the controlled fleet consisted of 153 ships totalling 6.17 million DWT. As at 1 January 2011 the Belgian controlled fleet consisted of 249 vessels totalling 12,95 million DWT. Details as follows : 91 vessels totalling 6,11 million DWT were flying the Belgian flag whereas 158 vessels totalling 6,89 million DWT were flying a foreign flag. This means that 47,24% of the Belgian controlled fleet flies the Belgian flag. 91,92% of the Belgian controlled fleet sails under national - mainly European - flags. Only a small part of the Belgian controlled fleet is registered in an open register, namely 1,07 million DWT (or 8,08%). This means that following the integration of the fiscal alleviation measures the Belgian controlled fleet has doubled in DWT from 2003 till 2011 (an increase of 109%). Belgian controlled fleet (DWT) Source: UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport (on basis of data from Lloyd s Register/Fairplay) 1 Figures only available in DWT. 2
b. Labour-related costs In addition to fiscal alleviation measures, Belgium has also introduced measures to reduce labour-related costs. These measures include a deduction from salaries of seafarers, an exemption from the payment of withholding tax on professional income levied on seafarer wages, a total exemption of the shipowners part of social security, a partial exemption of the seafarers' part (exempted above pension level), and a reduced contribution to the accidents at work fund. The combined effects of the labour related cost and the fiscal alleviation measures can be seen in the graph below which shows the evolution of employment onboard Belgian flagged fleet in the period 2004-2011. It is noted that employment of both EU nationals and non-eu nationals increased during this period, respectively by 96,36% and by 80,74%. In 2011, 919 EU nationals and 2.731 non-eu nationals were employed onboard Belgian flagged fleet. Total employment onboard Belgian flagged fleet increased by 84,43% during this period and amounted to 3.650 in 2011. Source: Belgian Shipowners Association The employment onboard and ashore in Belgian Merchant Shipping (source : Belgian Maritime Cluster Studies Policy Research Corporation) is reflected in the graph below. In the period 2000-2010 the employment on board increased with 11,33% and the employment onshore increased with 20,45%. 3
Source : Studies Policy Research Corporation Cadets/students The table below indicates that the number of cadets/students in the Antwerp Maritime Academy has increased substantially since the application of state aid measures in line with the State Aid Guidelines. In the academic year 2003-2004, there were 372 cadets/students in the Antwerp Maritime Academy. Since then, the number of cadets/students has been growing to amount to 667 in the year 2010-2011. This represents an increase of 79,3% compared to the year 2003-2004 and an increase of 161.5% compared to the year 2000-2001 (i.e. the period before the application of state aid measures). This increase is also due to the promotion campaigns to attract people to a seafaring career, which the maritime sector organized in collaboration with the merchant navy training institutions, and the renewed policy of the Antwerp Maritime Academy. 4
Students registered in the Antwerp Maritime Academy Source: Hogere Zeevaartschool Antwerpen c. Maritime Cluster 2 The maritime cluster derives its significance from two components: the direct impact of the maritime companies as such and the indirect effects through the purchases made by such companies in the rest of the Belgian economy. In 2000, the direct economic significance of the maritime cluster in terms of added value amounted to 424 million, with 218 million or 52% generated by hydraulic engineering, 47 million or 11% by tugging 159 million or 37% by the merchant fleet. The cluster directly employed 6,750 people. Indirectly, through purchases in the rest of the economy, the Belgian maritime sector provided jobs to 4,720 people and it also produced an additional added value of 265 million. Overall, i.e. including the effects in subcontracting, the Belgian maritime industry generates an added value of 689 million. This brings jobs to 8,765 Belgian residents and 2,705 non-residents. Out of the total added value, 64% or 441 million are spent in Belgium. The Belgian Treasury thus received 206 million annually, with 136 million being invested domestically and 99 million spent for consumption purposes. 2 Figures are based on studies carried out by Policy Research Corporation (PRC). In its approach PRC limited the Belgian maritime cluster to merchant shipping, dredging and towage. 5
The expenditure to added value ratio is relatively high for hydraulic engineering (72%) and tugging (70%) and it is low for the merchant marine (43%), as the considerable investments in the fleet are made abroad, as the ships have been flagged out. The total added value of the Belgian maritime cluster amounts to 0.3% of the Gross Domestic Product. Source: Policy Research Corporation In 2007, the maritime cluster generated a direct added value of 1.54 billion, of which the merchant shipping industry totaled about 650 million or 42% and the seagoing tug industry 88 million or 6%. Direct employment in the maritime cluster amounted to about 7150 people. Direct employment in the shipping industry amounted to 2900 people, of which 2440 were seafarers and 460 people onshore, which corresponded to 41% of direct employment of the maritime cluster. The seagoing tug industry employed 690 people, mainly Belgian nationals, or 9% of direct employment of the maritime cluster. The indirect added value of the maritime cluster amounted to 414 million in 2007, of which 29% or 120 million was generated by merchant shipping and 3% or 12 million came from the seagoing tug industry. Indirect employment in the maritime cluster consisted of 5180 people. Merchant shipping created 990 indirect jobs (or 19%) and seagoing tugs 160 jobs (or 3%). In sum, the total added value of the maritime cluster amounted to approximately 2.0 billion and total employment consisted of 12330 people, which represented an increase of 52% in direct added value in comparison with 2004 and an increase of 150% compared to 2001. Source: Policy Research Corporation In 2010, the maritime cluster generated a direct added value of 1,86 billion of which the merchant shipping industry totaled about 583 million or 31% and the seagoing tug industry 78 million or 4%. Direct employment in the maritime cluster increased further to about 8.230 people. Direct employment in merchant shipping amounted to 3.280 of which 2.750 were 6
seafarers and 530 people onshore which corresponds to 40% of direct employment of the maritime cluster. The indirect added value of the maritime cluster increased further to 460 million in 2010 of which 23% or 105 million was generated by merchant shipping and 3% or 13 million came from the seagoing tug industry. Indirect employment in the maritime cluster increased further to 5.980 people. Merchant shipping created 1.110 indirect jobs (or 19%) and seagoing tugs 180 jobs (or 3%). In 2010, the merchant shipping industry comprised some 120 companies, including some key players such as Euronav, Cobelfret, Bocimar and Exmar. They decided not to relocate their resources outside Belgium but to stay in Belgium following the application of state aid measures in line with the 2004 State Aid Guidelines. This means that the key decisions are still being made in Belgium. In sum, the total added value of the maritime cluster in 2010 increased further to approximately 2.3 billion and the total employment consisted of 14.210 people. It results from the above figures that in the period 2001-2010 the direct added value of the Belgian maritime cluster almost tripled and that the direct employment increased with 1.200 jobs. Both developments are reflected in the graphs hereunder. 7
Source: Policy Research Corporation Source: Policy Research Corporation In sum, these figures clearly demonstrate the positive effects of the application of positive measures, and especially the integration of the fiscal alleviation measures, in accordance with the State Aid Guidelines for the Belgian shipping and the Belgian maritime cluster. If a broader maritime cluster approach is applied incorporating other maritime subsectors such as seaports, marine equipment, shipbuilding, coastal tourism, recreative boating and maritime works, the total employment in the Belgian maritime cluster represented some 50.000 jobs in 2004. Seaports, shipping and shipbuilding employed together some 34.000 persons (source : ECOTEC Research & Consulting, Employment trends in all sectors related to sea or using sea resources Country report Belgium, study made for DG Fisheries and Maritime Affairs C3135/August 2006). * * * 8