- Fewer Belgian companies are actively investing compared to 2024, yet firms report a positive outlook for future investments.
- Businesses in Belgium are more positive about the green transition than their peers in other EU members states.
- Strong share of Belgian firms adopting new digital technology – notably AI – in their business processes: 51% vs EU average of 37%.
Uncertainty about the future remains the primary barrier for investment of Belgian firms, and although the share of Belgian firms who are actively investing has fallen, companies still remain optimistic about future investment possibilities – especially for what regards the green transition. This is one of the main outcomes of the annual Investment Survey by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which covers more than 12,000 EU firms and over 800 US companies polled between April-July 2025.
The survey also shows that more than 9 out of 10 companies in the EU – some 92% – are investing directly in measures to cut emissions of greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Belgian companies are leading the way in this field, and especially regarding the green industrial transformation. Belgian firms are more positive about the net-zero transition than their EU peers, and investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency are widespread.
“Belgian firms are confident about the future, even if uncertainty about the future is among their main concerns regarding upcoming investments.” said EIB Group Chief Economist Debora Revoltella. “Some 62% of Belgian companies already have set targets to reduce their emissions, while also the share of companies actively investing in energy efficiency is among the highest in Europe. Next to the adoption of new technologies, these indicators show strong signs for future growth of Belgian firms.”
Data shows that Belgium is keeping the European pace on innovation and the adoption of digital tools. Where Belgian firms particularly stand out is in their commitment to intangible assets, with firms allocating 44% of their investment to intangibles. Belgian firms also outperform their EU peers in digital integration, with six out of ten firms using multiple advanced digital technologies compared to just half of EU firms. Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Belgium is strong too, with some 51% of all polled companies using at least one AI tool – well above the EU average (37%).
Survey results feed into the annual Investment Report, the flagship publication of the EIB Group’s Economics Department, gauging the investment outlook for Europe’s economy. The full country report about Belgium is available here [link]
Background information
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security. In 2024, the EIB Group reached a funding volume of just over €2 billion in Belgium, focusing on energy, innovation, SMEs and climate.