The report highlights that in Belgium, more than 70% of fixed internet subscriptions offer speeds greater than or equal to 100 Mbps, placing the country in the European top 10. However, connections with speeds of at least 1 Gbps remain rare (5.44% of households compared to a European average of 18.52%). “Belgium has relied on its efficient traditional network for a long time.”adds Mathieu Michel. “Other countries, with a less advanced network, have quickly migrated to 5G. But the measures taken will allow us to make up for this delay and return to the European peloton in the coming years.”
Online administration
E-Government, or access to public services online, is progressing significantly, with 69% of Belgian citizens using the internet to interact with administrations. This figure far exceeds the European average (36.65%) and even surpasses that of neighboring countries such as France and Luxembourg. “We launched MyGov, the electronic wallet, six months ago.recalls Mathieu Michel. “110,000 people activated it. With this application, the citizen no longer has to connect to different systems. MyGov brings everything together, like a centralized digital wallet.”
Mathieu Michel also specifies that the texts allowing the legal recognition of the digital driving license and identity card integrated into MyGov have now been launched. “You should also know that, during the negotiations for the formation of the Arizona government, there was talk of placing MyGov at the center of the citizen's digital life. This must become an ultimate simplification tool, around which all administrations must coordinate.”
Artificial intelligence
In 2023, 12.5% of Belgian SMEs used at least one artificial intelligence technology, an increase of 3.2 percentage points compared to 2021. The report also highlights a correlation between the use of AI and the size of companies: 47.9% of large companies adopt it, compared to only 10.6% of small ones.
“I think there are ways to do better, but we are positioned extremely well”comments Mathieu Michel. “Collectively, whether at the federal or regional level, we identified this issue quite early and worked on ambitious plans to implement artificial intelligence.”
E-commerce
In 2023, 75.26% of Belgians made online purchases, placing Belgium well above the European average (69.60%). But 62.41% of individuals made purchases from sellers established in other EU countries. “If the customer wants to order at 10 p.m. and be delivered at 8 a.m., this involves night work. However, our standards are not competitive compared to other countries”analyzes Mathieu Michel. “We can clearly see that the logistics centers of certain e-commerce giants are setting up around Belgium, but not in Belgium.”
“The foundations of digitalization have been solidified”
Mathieu Michel, how do you perceive the impact of artificial intelligence in businesses today?
As Secretary of State for Digitalization, two years ago, I developed a convergence plan in terms of artificial intelligence which highlighted the need for access to quality data as well as the need to build a strong network. This plan was not intended to replace what the Regions already do well. Moreover, they have set up local support campaigns to help SMEs integrate artificial intelligence into their processes.
In the technology sector, some deplore the absence of a single Belgian brand, like “French Tech” in France. Is this a regret for you?
I would like Belgium to have greater awareness of itself internationally. But the difficulty lies in the fact that Belgium is a decentralized country. In addition, Belgian technological ecosystems are dispersed. There is, for example, an ecosystem in Liège around the Grand Poste, another around the Trakk in Namur, or even at BeCentral in Brussels. I tried to unite them around the logic of “Smart Nation”
What assessment do you personally draw from this legislature?
I am very satisfied to have achieved all the goals I set for myself. The foundations for the digitalization of public services have been solidified. There is also a file, arising from the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union, of which I am particularly proud: the Louvain-la-Neuve Declaration. With this, the 27 Member States commit to creating tools to bring individual responsibility online. On this basis, the European Commission is working on a technological tool to authenticate profiles. A public contract has been launched to develop a first tool capable of distinguishing between an adult and a minor on the Internet.
During this legislature, there was also the difficult reform of the Data Protection Authority (DPA)…
Indeed, I encountered obstacles. I found myself in the middle of a political game. But ultimately, the text meets expectations.
You were the subject of ridicule at the start of the legislature…
However, when I was in charge of digital in the province of Walloon Brabant, I already had experience in this area. I think that some people did not want to see a third Michel arrive on the political scene.
A new government is coming. What will you be doing in a few weeks?
No matter where I am, I will do my best. And I plan to work on an essential fight: the impact of artificial intelligence on democracies. The way algorithms can influence opinion is worrying. We must support this technology by establishing responsibilities for use, distribution and construction. If we do not do this, democracy itself is in danger.
Some other lessons…
OPEN DATA
The report highlights that Belgium scored 72% on the Open Data Maturity Index in 2023, ranking 27th out of 35 countries. This index evaluates four dimensions: policy, portal, impact and quality. As a reminder, Open Data refers to the public provision of data generated by public institutions. They can then be used by companies, researchers or citizens to create services, analyzes or innovations. “The defect of open data is linked, once again, to the fragmentation of institutions,” analyzes Mathieu Michel. “The new law, presented to Parliament in March 2024, makes it possible to force public services to make data directly available. For years, we have adopted legislative texts almost everywhere on open data, but there is no no common platform where we find all open data, which complicates things. The new law aims not to force institutions to make data accessible on request, but to make it available directly. difference.”
DIGITAL DIVIDE
The digital divide in Belgium is decreasing, but it persists. In 2023, 94.5% of Belgian households had an internet connection, a figure higher than the European average of 93.1%. However, 3.2% of Belgians aged 16 to 74 had never used the internet before, although this percentage is down compared to 2022. Regular internet use reaches 93.6%, compared to 90. 3% in the European Union. The digital divide remains particularly marked among the elderly and women, the latter being generally less connected than men. “The figures show that the digital divide is closing at an incredible speed,” says Mathieu Michel. To facilitate the adoption of online services, we have created a tool called Conectoo, which is quite efficient. It can train any public service agent wishing to help reduce the digital divide At the end of a few hours of training, the agent receives a certificate validating their skills, in particular to help citizens go digital. It is a real project with. a snowball effect which works extremely well.”
