Today's world is different from that of 2019. All countries, all sectors, all companies, in one way or another, are affected by the Covid 19 crisis. Over and above the urgent responses that are needed, whether in terms of health, politics, finance or the economy, the new situation calls for a special approach.
Recovery plans are useful. They are useful insofar as they are based on a vision that makes choices. Strategic choices that guide budgetary choices. How can we ensure the economic and social prosperity of Brussels now and in the future?
How will we get around in the future?
The health crisis has changed our relationship with space and travel, not only in the short term, but also over the long term. The world of work quickly adapted to the new circumstances. In this sense, HR policy in Brussels has proved to be a tool for managing mobility. The HR approach to mobility, with the question of the sustainable adaptation of workspaces and the relationship with travel, implies a new vision of space, urban planning and real estate in Brussels.
Innovation is more important than ever to stimulate recovery and take account of the rapid changes in urban mobility. Collaboration between public and private players is one of the most effective ways of stimulating innovation in the field of urban mobility. It would ensure, for example, that MaaS (Mobility as a Service) fits into the wider policy context. The benefits of this collaboration can be seen in a number of areas, including data analysis, route optimisation and journey time optimisation - and therefore improving multimodality and traffic flows. The implementation of MaaS is not only digital. Its feasibility depends heavily on physical mobility solutions and infrastructures.
Demand for transport has changed considerably. Brussels must invest in quality infrastructure to enable and promote its accessibility and multimodality. To maintain its prosperity, Brussels must remain an open city, easily accessible from another Region. As a place to live and work, Brussels must remain easily accessible to workers.
The digitalisation of businesses in Brussels
Two major developments were observed during the period of confinement: the explosion in teleworking and e-commerce. From one day to the next, millions of workers found themselves at home trying to pursue their income-generating activities, in conditions that were sometimes difficult due to the configuration of their homes or family structure. At the same time, the closure of most shops made their lives particularly difficult. Only the power of telecommunications networks has enabled them to maintain the social contact that is so precious.
Technology can be used to improve quality of life and the environment in all its aspects: health, cleanliness, traffic, safety, etc. The capital must make full use of the possibilities offered by the knowledge economy. Citizens can be massively trained in new technologies thanks to a proactive and widespread policy of training and continuing education in the digital field. Networks make it possible to work from home and in decentralised workspaces close to intermodal hubs.
Towards a more sustainable Brussels
Greater coordination between the Regions and the federal level and a shared ambition are decisive. Climate action, particularly around the 303030 project, should be developed in all the Regions and with the main greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters. The collaborative approach must permeate all our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Over the next 15 years, the evolution of mobility solutions cannot be achieved by micro-initiatives alone; it requires intense public-private collaboration. It is important to understand why new solutions are not yet profitable.
Regional organisations such as Innoviris provide support to develop genuine new solutions. However, solutions to improve the return on investment of certain climate-related expenses sometimes outweigh such support. Energy renovation of buildings is one example. We are calling for more support for these schemes, until such time as these solutions become real, profitable alternatives for businesses.
Impact on employment in Brussels
Brussels will be faced with a sharp, rapid and massive increase in the number of jobseekers. To ensure that this situation does not continue over the long term, we need to take swift action on labour market conditions. Firstly, we need to act quickly to get new jobseekers back to work as quickly as possible. Secondly, there will be no matching between a job seeker and a job that does not exist. The challenge is to create jobs that do not exist today in lower-skilled positions by making market conditions more flexible (particularly employers' charges on low salaries). In addition, we need to focus on the qualifications of jobseekers. When choosing training, we need to steer them towards jobs that require them, with a particular focus on STEM and IT profiles. The 3 pillars of this strategy are therefore: making the labour market more flexible, providing qualifications in occupations that require commitment and guiding people towards the sectors of the future.
A rapid return to employment in the Brussels-Capital Region must be a priority in order to relieve the pressure on the Public Centres for Social Welfare and the ranks of the unemployed, and to encourage recovery by restoring purchasing power.
