Flemings among most content in EU, says report

Flanders is in the top three in Europe when it comes to satisfaction with life, according to the latest Flemish Regional Indicators (Vrind) published yesterday by the Flemish government. Other figures indicate that the region is making progress on economic sustainability and on the numbers of young people leaving secondary school without a diploma.

The Vrind is based on the measure of about 700 indicators contained in the government’s policy agreement for 2009-2014 and the Flanders in Action plan. The goal is to create a picture of which global developments have an impact on Flemish policy and how the effects of government policy are felt in various areas.

This year’s Vrind paid particular attention to three questions: sustainability in the economy, the social situation of residents in Flanders, and the effect of policy on individuals in this European Year of the Citizen.

On sustainability, the report notes the continuing trend of economic growth no longer coupled with an increase in energy consumption: energy use compared to GDP is in fact 19% lower now than it was in 1990. On greenhouse emissions, Flanders has achieved the Kyoto targets and is one-third of the way to achieving Belgium’s target of a 15% reduction by 2020.

On economic sustainability, the report reveals that the number of young people leaving school without a qualification has fallen back almost to the level of 1999, after a constant climb in the last decade.

Also according to Vrind, residents of Flanders are more satisfied with their living situation than most other citizens of the EU, with the exception only of Sweden and Denmark. The score is based on indicators such as housing, social contacts, free time, income, health, security, mobility and work-life balance.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the study indicates which groups have the greatest satisfaction with life: men, homeowners, higher income and education groups and those in stable work.