In Antwerp, reality asserts itself forcefully. Belgium's energy security, industrial competitiveness and economic sovereignty depend first and foremost on its strategic infrastructure.
This was the message delivered by federal Minister for Energy Mathieu Bihet during two site visits to leading industrial companies based at the heart of the Port of Antwerp: ExxonMobil and Air Liquide.
The first stop was the ExxonMobil site, one of the largest integrated refining and petrochemical complexes in Europe. An essential link in our energy supply and in numerous industrial value chains.
The Minister then visited Air Liquide, a major gas player and key partner in hydrogen development. A strategic site that illustrates both the industrial power of the Port of Antwerp and the ongoing transformations in the European energy system.
For Mathieu Bihet, these visits highlight a sometimes underestimated reality: "There is no credible energy transition without a strong industry. There is no energy sovereignty without solid infrastructure. And there is no sustainable competitiveness without a framework that allows investment, production and innovation in Belgium."
The discussions covered industrial investment, hydrogen development, technological innovation and the conditions needed to preserve the attractiveness of Belgian production sites amid increasing international competition.
The Minister for Energy also stressed the need to preserve a stable and predictable environment for businesses: "Our country must be able to rely on a strong, competitive and innovative industry. The energy transition must not become synonymous with deindustrialisation. On the contrary, it must be an opportunity to strengthen our economic fabric and create more value in Belgium."
Through these meetings, Mathieu Bihet reaffirms his commitment to staying in touch with realities on the ground and building an energy policy based on the country's industrial strengths. In a federal country like Belgium, political presence on the ground must fully cover all the country's industrial basins, including in Flanders, where a significant part of the economic and energy dynamics take place.