01701cas a2200241 a 4500 AALejournalIMF004799 230101c9999 xx r poo 0 0eng d 5.00 USD 9781451803266 1934-7685 BD-DhAAL BD-DhAAL International Monetary Fund. Belgium : Selected Issues. Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 2007. 1 online resource (32 pages) IMF Staff Country Reports <strong>Off-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required <strong>On-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required Electronic access restricted to authorized BRAC University faculty, staff and students This Selected Issues paper focuses on the fiscal challenge for Belgium in coping with population aging, including the sustainability of prevailing fiscal federalism arrangements across all levels of governments. The analysis demonstrates that the current strategy of upfront consolidation is likely to fall short of achieving sustainability. Further reductions in aging-related spending and growth and productivity-enhancing reforms beyond those assumed under the authorities' strategy appear to be necessary. The paper also assesses whether the wage bargaining framework, a key labor market institution, is conducive to preserving external competitiveness and raising employment rates. Mode of access: Internet IMF Staff Country Reports; Country Report ; No. 2007/088 Full text available on IMF http://elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2007/088/002.2007.issue-088-en.xml IMF e-Library