As part of the Belgian Presidency of the Council, the Minister for the Self-Employed, David Clarinval, organised a conference dedicated to craftsmanship in Europe. The aim is to assess current and future means of supporting this essential sector of our economy.
The conference was opened by the Federal Minister for the Self-Employed and SMEs, who recalled his continued support for Belgian craftspeople throughout the last legislature.
This support was reflected in particular in the strengthening of the FPS Economy's artisan label, a valuable tool for recognising and giving visibility to Belgian craftspeople. Thanks to this, consumers seeking authenticity can more easily identify labelled craftspeople, notably via the lesartisans.be website, developed under his mandate. To date, this label, awarded on a voluntary and free basis, already counts more than 2,000 recognised craftspeople.
The Minister was also keen to continue, through a promotional campaign, Craftsman's Day, which honours certified craftspeople. The next edition of this event will be held on 17 November.
As part of the Belgian EU Presidency, a study on best practices in craftsmanship within the European Union was carried out. The results of this study, presented during the conference, aim to enrich current thinking at regional, national and European level.
The discussions were deepened by contributions from renowned panellists, including Professor Munck, Catherine Elie, Director of the Institut Supérieur des Métiers in Paris, Véronique Willems, Secretary General of SME United, Raffaele Trapasso, Senior Economist at the OECD, and Laura Miguel Baumann, Secretary General of the World Craft Council Europe.
The Minister confirmed the need to continue supporting these workers: “Our societies need craftspeople not only to preserve certain know-how and traditions, but also to provide quality local products and services and support a sustainable economic dynamic”.