On Monday 16 June 2025 at 5.30 pm, the University Foundation is organising a debate (N/F) on the budget problem in Belgium, with Prof. Koen Geens (KU Leuven) as speaker. The presentation will be introduced by Prof. Dirk Heremans (KU Leuven) and comments will be given by Prof. Eric De Keuleneer (ULB and University Foundation).

Prof. Koen Geens is emeritus professor (KULeuven), honorary lawyer at the Brussels Bar and former Minister of Finance, Justice and European Affairs.

After the debate snacks and drinks are offered.

photo: Robert Boons.

Participation 25€ pp. Registration until 9 June 2025. Registration form.

Good accounts make good friends. That is how it is in our own household, that is how it is in a multi-layered state household. Budgets that are well organised and do not structurally leak, are budgets in which each level of government takes and must take its responsibility. He who pays, decides. He who decides, pays. That is real responsibility. But that is not how it works, not in the quadrilateral between the EU, Belgium and the federal states on the one hand, social security on the other. With all the consequences: the budgetary margin of the federal state is shrinking further and further, and makes an investment budget completely impossible.