This question was at the heart of a conference jointly organised by the Seine–Scheldt EEIG and the French Embassy in Belgium on 1 July at the Residence of France in Brussels. The event brought together institutional representatives, companies and experts to discuss the conditions required to turn infrastructure investments into tangible opportunities for the territories along the Seine–Scheldt Network.
Following the welcome address by Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes, Ambassador of France to the Kingdom of Belgium, Gilles Ryckebusch, Manager of the Seine–Scheldt EEIG and Regional Director for Nord–Pas-de-Calais at Voies navigables de France (VNF), presented an update on the project’s progress and highlighted its economic, logistical and environmental significance.
Speakers Marie Desrousseaux (Rebel Group), Emmanuel Katrakis (Galloo) and Olivier Hia (Novandi) identified several key factors for strengthening the economic attractiveness of the Seine–Scheldt Network: high-performance infrastructure, an appropriate land-use strategy and stronger connections to the wider European transport networks.
The discussions also highlighted a central challenge: fostering local economic partnerships as a key lever for attracting new investment and creating sustainable economic momentum along the Seine–Scheldt Network.
The Seine–Scheldt EEIG express its full gratitude to Xavier Lapeyre de Cabanes, as well as to the entire teams of the French Embassy in Belgium and the Economic Department for their warm welcome and their commitment to the organisation of this conference. Our gratitude also goes to moderator Perrine Lavelle, the speakers and all participants for the quality of the discussions and their valuable contribution to this collective reflection on the future of the Seine–Scheldt Network.
