Digitalisation of the economy and its impact on labour markets —

Christophe Degryse
The action plan is based on five pillars:
— digital <strong>economy</strong>;
— digital infrastructures;
— digital skills <strong>and</strong> jobs;
— trust in digitalisation <strong>and</strong> date security;
— digital government powers.
Although, according to this plan, ‘<strong>the</strong> digital revolution should create some
50 000 new jobs in a whole range <strong>of</strong> sectors’, <strong>the</strong> trade unions – though
normally accorded a high pr<strong>of</strong>ile in Belgium – do not seem to be at all closely
involved in <strong>the</strong> process. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> principal aims <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> government is to
become one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> top three digital economies (Belgium is currently in fifth
place, according to Valsamis 2015). According to Minister De Croo, ‘with a
focused strategy <strong>and</strong> sustained effort by 2020 it must be possible for Belgium
to get into <strong>the</strong> digital top three <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Digital Economy <strong>and</strong> Society
Index, for 1,000 new start-ups to take root in our country <strong>and</strong> for <strong>the</strong> digital
revolution to deliver 50,000 new jobs in a variety <strong>of</strong> sectors’.
A monitoring group entitled ‘Digital Minds for Belgium’ has been set up
consisting <strong>of</strong> representatives <strong>of</strong> multinationals, telecommunications
companies, start-ups, but without any trade union participation. It should be
pointed out that relations between <strong>the</strong> current government coalition 47 <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>
national trade unions are ‘difficult’.
2.4 Denmark
Manufacturing Academy
http://made.dk/welcome
MADE - Manufacturing Academy <strong>of</strong> Denmark - works to promote production in Denmark
through research, innovation <strong>and</strong> education. It brings toge<strong>the</strong>r companies, research <strong>and</strong>
knowledge institutions across industries.
TURI research on digital <strong>economy</strong>: FAOS (Contact: Anna Ilsøe, ai@faos.dk)
A research project on <strong>the</strong> digitalization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Danish labour market <strong>and</strong> <strong>its</strong>
consequences is currently in progress.
47. A coalition composed <strong>of</strong> French-speaking <strong>and</strong> Flemish liberals, Flemish nationalists <strong>and</strong>
members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Flemish social christian party (CD&V). The latter is <strong>the</strong> only party in <strong>the</strong>
coalition to maintain structural relations with one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two large trade unions in <strong>the</strong>
country, <strong>the</strong> CSC-ACV.
60 WP 2016.02