London, Aug 21: The Belgian region of Flanders is positioning itself as the entry point for Indian companies, either manufacturing or IT, to address the European market. For IT companies, the suggestion is that they use Flanders as an outsourcing hub for the rest of the European Union (EU), which also does away with the issue of multiple work permits.
Officials pointed out that Indian employees can be placed there provided these are high end jobs, requiring specific qualifications, mandated by the high unemployment rate prevailing there.
For the manufacturing sector, specifically the auto component, the benefits of locating in Belgium are that it is within a 500 kms radius of car companies which annually assemble 8 million cars, Ben De Smit, director, business development, FIFO, Asia, said.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) here to promote investment in the Flanders region.
De Smit met Pune's IT community where issues of concern were addressed. While advocating setting up of-fices in Belgium he also pointed to the opportunity presented by the need to outsource. Since Belgium outsources just 5 per cent of its euro 31 billion ICT work, Indian companies can pitch for a slice of that pie, the potential being greatest in the IT and telecom services sectors. Bureau Report