The Walloon Union of Companies or Union Wallonne des Entreprises (UWE) is the
Walloon employers organization.
History
About 1965, when economic decentralization was becoming more pronounced in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, Walloon business leaders felt the need for more organisation. The pioneers of the UWE, were, to name a few, Jules Delruelle (Prayon), George Halbart (Magotteaux), George Henry (
Glaverbel
AGC Glass Europe is an international glass manufacturing group based in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, and the European branch of the AGC Inc. Group.
AGC Glass Europe currently employs some 14,500 people. ), Pierre Holoffe (Asphaltco), Leon Jacques (Carrières de Quenast) Jean Lannoye (Papeteries de Genval), Jules Plaquet (Compagnie des Ciments Belges), Alfred Putzeys (Pieux Franki).
Together they decided, at the end of 1967, to invite a hundred company managers to a meeting, the result of which was to create the ''Walloon Union of Companies'' (rather than the ''Union of Walloon Companies''), in this way allowing the many foreign companies established in the Walloon Area to join the organization. It is also decided to open the organization to both the industrial and non-industrial sectors. The FEB (
Federation of the Companies of Belgium) had not been established at that point and the national organization was based on a ''Federation of the Industrialists of Belgium'' and a ''Federation of the non-industrial companies of Belgium''.
Following this first meeting, it was decided to set up a Board of Directors and gather some initial funding. The new organization was founded on 2 April 1968. The first general meeting, in 1969, took place at the ''Charleroi Institute of Glass''.
Sources
Union Wallonne des Entreprises
See also
*
Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry
The Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry is a private independent organisation composed of the Chamber of Commerce founded in 1703 and the Brussels Business Federation.
BECI represents and defends the interests of over 35 000 Brussels compa ...
*
VOKA
The Vlaams Economisch Verbond (VEV) is a Flemish employers' organization and lobbying group.
The main objectives of the organization were the development of the Flemish economy and to improve the status of Flemish as a business language in Flan ...
*
Economy of Belgium
The economy of Belgium is a modern, capitalist economy that has capitalised on the country's central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Belgium was the first country to under ...
*
Science and technology in Wallonia Science and technology in Wallonia, the southern region of Belgium (Europe), is well developed with the presence of several universities and research institutes.
Universities in Wallonia
Universities in Wallonia are part of the universities of the ...
*
Agoria
Agoria, previously known as Fabrimetal, is a Belgian employers' organization and member of the Federation of Belgian Enterprises.
Description
Agoria connects over 1900 technologically inspired companies active in Belgium (2019) that strive ...
*
UNIZO {{unreferenced, date=February 2012
UNIZO ( nl, Unie van Zelfstandige Ondernemers) is a Belgian association of entrepreneurs, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME); it is mainly situated in the Flemish region of the Kingdom of Belgium.
The Unio ...
*
Cercle de Lorraine
The Cercle de Lorraine or Club van Lotharingen is a Belgian business club, located in Brussels, Belgium. The club was founded in 1998, and it wants to bring together, distinguished and representative personalities from the Belgian financial communi ...
*
Prince Albert Fund
The Prince Albert Fund is a Belgian non-profit organization (fund) which provides a scholarship to young Belgian professionals to give them the opportunity to carry out a project for a Belgian company in international business development, outsi ...
Trade associations based in Belgium
Labor relations
Economy of Belgium
Employers' organizations
1968 establishments in Belgium
Organizations established in 1968
Wallonia
{{Belgium-stub