Belgian federal budget talks persist amid steady positions and constructive tone

Prime Minister Bart De Wever chaired a narrow committee of vice-premiers on Sunday, continuing the federal budget talks that began the previous day. Jan Jambon, Vincent Van Peteghem and Maxime Prévot reported a constructive mood, but emphasized that many issues still need resolution. A Saturday consensus highlighted the need for a growth strategy that would boost the economy without adding new costs, proposing measures such as administrative simplification and mobilising private savings.

Sources indicated that no final agreement is expected today or tomorrow, and that the core of the budget note remains undecided, likely leading to further debate. The negotiators plan to review the budget measure by measure over the coming days, anticipating additional revisions before any deal is reached.