In their search for smart savings, the Itinera Institute went knocking on the door of several top officials of the federal government. 56 officials formulated no less than 450 concrete and feasible proposals that can make the functioning of the public services more efficient and cost-saving.

Rudi Verheyen has collected and evaluated the increasing criticism in a recent policy note and has come to the conclusion that a number of developments, (structure) reforms and policy decisions very likely have a negative influence on the quality of Higher Education.

Belgium didn’t show a lot of fiscal discipline in the good economic times. Since 2009 our country belongs to countries in the excessive deficit procedure with a strict surveillance of the European Commission. The nonsensical debate about austerity should be overcome.

By giving incentives to early retirement pension systems aggravate the problem of financial sustainability.

“If we don’t do anything we are bankrupt within three years” a newspaper quoted recently the words of the mayor of Kortrijk. It’s essential that the management of public finances on the municipal level is being viewed with the necessary seriousness.

The European leaders have announced an action plan against youth unemployment. Obviously it’s a very complex and divers issue. Seen the seriousness of the issue we can’t tolerate any taboo’s about this. Also not about the matter about the often ill-considered choice of studies.