Febelfin, the Belgian Federation of the financial sector, organised its annual stakeholder event ‘Febelfin Connect’ yesterday with the central theme ‘The crucial role of the financial sector in times of economic and security challenges’.

Leading guest speakers and panellists, as well as the Minister of Finance, shared their insights on a particularly topical theme, notably increasing geopolitical uncertainty, the role of the financial sector in financing the wider economic agenda, including strengthening our security, and the growing importance of cybersecurity.

The geopolitical shifts highlight the importance of growth, innovation and strengthening our competitiveness in Europe. To be competitive, resilient and self-reliant, Europe needs to strengthen its economic and technological strength. We must actively contribute to shaping our future and strengthening our strategic autonomy.

To this end, more investment is needed. If we want to protect our citizens and economy and defend our values and freedoms, we must be prepared to make the necessary investments.

We urgently need to work on closing the investment gap and creating a capital markets union to keep European money within the European market and use it to finance European companies and projects. Stable regulation and balanced taxation is essential for this. We need a smart investment framework, in Europe and Belgium, with competitive fiscal policies and a business environment that encourages long-term investment.

Today, we are at the crossroads of innovation and responsibility, and the financial sector is poised to play an important role as a partner and facilitator. The financial sector is open to dialogue on how we can further help our companies drive innovation, increase security efforts and contribute to the broader economic agenda, including financing SMEs in the defence and security sector. While the financial sector is aware of its responsibility, it also points to the important and necessary role that the government and public sector can play in terms of political support and in developing a clear framework, simple regulations and balanced fiscal policies.

In doing so, it is also important to pay sufficient attention to a strong and healthy Belgian financial sector that can continue to invest in Belgian families, businesses and society, with a view to ensuring long-term stability, resilience and security. Only by working together can we overcome the challenges ahead and pave the way for sustainable economic growth and ensure a secure future for all. As a financial sector, we stand ready more than ever to play our part and contribute to a safe and stable world.

Michael Anseeuw, Chairman Febelfin: "Let us see security for what it really is: an investment, not a cost. A stable and secure society is the basis for a strong economy, business growth, job creation and innovation. The financial world is ready to play its role and provide the necessary funding to realise these ambitions. But we need the right tools to play our role effectively: from a stable fiscal environment at home to a mature European capital market union. That is why we call on politicians: give us an ambitious framework so that we can take responsibility and make our contribution to a strong and secure future."

2024 was an intense year politically, with elections and long-running government negotiations. Febelfin worked intensively with its members and various partners on social and political issues during the past year. The full overview of our achievements in 2024 can be found in our annual report.