Professionalism Proximity Initiative Partnership Impartiality LONDON FRANKFURT

PARIS ffice Develo p ment O ffice Province of N amur E conomic

E42 Liège E42 Charleroi Mons NAMUR

E411 www.bep.be

Avenue Sergent Vrithoff 2 B-5000 Namur

Managing editor: Renaud Degueldre, Managing Director – BEP D/2009 982 021 – January 2010 – BEP D/2009 982 021 January Director Managing Degueldre, editor: Renaud Managing Tel.: +32 (0)81/71 71 71 Fax: +32 (0)81/71 71 00 [email protected] www.bep.be www.expansion.be The BEP’s vision for the Namur area

The BEP aims to promote sustainable development in the area, generating work and jobs. Respect for human dimension leads it to focus on:

• exploiting indigenous resources , • improving the quality of life and the environment, The Province of Namur, a A vision for • integrating new energy opportunities. This strategy supports the priorities established by Europe and the Walloon regional place to live, do business authorities, whilst at the same time reinforcing the identity, characteristics and expertise the future of the Namur region. & grow

Located at the intersection between 2 euro-corridors, the Namur region occupies a strate- gic position on the Brussels-Luxembourg axis, a major lever of growth and socio-economic An ideal place development.

Made up of 38 municipalities and covering an area of 3666 km², the Namur area is home to The BEP, the to live, 500 000 inhabitants who enjoy an excellent quality of life. sustainable economic The Namur region has two universities, which benefit both business and the local population The BEP aims to be a proactive model of good governance and land develop- through their teaching and applied research. development agency ment, and the strategic partner of regional and local organisations. Consequently, do business, through its action, expertise and ability to innovate, it aims to make the region a Economic activity in Namur is reliant on a strong network of SMEs and microbusinesses, for the Namur region benchmark in terms of sustainable development. largely in the services sector (public services, education, health, business services, tourism, grow etc.). sustainable economic development

BEP timeline Develo p ment O ffice Province of N amur E conomic

First industrial estate: 1st project for the renovation of disused business premises Opening of the first waste The Naninne garden waste composting First collections of organic waste at Bièvre, EMAS Certification for Happe-Chapois and Malvoisin Achievements involving the renovation of the tannery reception centres centre in operation Vresse, Gedinne, environmentally safe landfill sites First collections of household waste in st Start-up of the BEP Environment site at Installation of the 1 bottle banks smart waste bins at Gembloux Creation of provincial The Ministry for Public Works gives the BEP responsibility for the area plans for tourist signposts Start of work on the Ecolys® site : business park -, --Rochefort, Namur and Beauraing-Gedinne st 1 business incubators on the Tamines industrial estate dedicated to eco-construction

Construction of Ciney First door to door collections of plastic, metal, boxes and cardboard Planning application for the construction of a crematorium General plan for the development of the Eau d’Heure covered market at Ciney dams produced by BEP Creation of the Créalys® science park Creation of the first village centres Créalys® receives ISO 14001 environmental certification

Activities The Province of Namur entrusts BEP with management of the Exhibition Centre Start-up of the SME support service Creation of the export management secretariat The BEP is recognised as a European Business and Exhibition Centre management concession The BEP becomes Walloon coordinator for the Innovation Centre and joins the CEEI and EBN networks agreement signed with a private partner, EEN (Entreprise Europe Network) The BEP is made project consultant (European business and innovation centre network) Artexis S.A. for municipality development plans Creation of an "energy team" The European Commission decides to install its first 2 Belgian European Consumer Centres Creation of a tourism The BEP welcomes Start of waste collection by the BEP at Antwerp and at the BEP in Namur engineering team Europe Direct Relais

Inauguration of the new BEP buildings at Salzinnes and restructuring of the 4 Creation of the BEP ASBL and the 4 SIAEEs Orgnisation SIAEE in to 3 units: BEP, BEP Environment and BEP Economic Expansion (Inter-municipality Economic Development and Equipment Companies) Establishment of the new BEP Inter-municipality Crematorium

Merger of the municipalities: Taking on daily management of the Inter-municipality the Province of Namur is reorganised into 38 instead of 345 municipalities, all affiliated to the BEP company Idefin

BEP 10 years on – 45 companies and 5,750 jobs in our BEP 20 years on – 166 companies and 6,000 jobs in our business parks BEP 30 years on – 389 companies and 8,088 jobs in our BEP 40 years on – 718 companies and 10,822 jobs in our business business parks - BEP staff: 45 to 50 BEP collaborators: 65 business parks - BEP staff: 76 parks BEP staff: 95

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