Standard & Poor’s praises Brussels

The credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s has praised the Brussels-Capital Region for its “strong financial management”. It did so in its half-yearly report. In an interview with the Brussels regional news platform Bruzz, the Brussels Regional Finance Minister Guy Vanhengel (Flemish liberal) that “the report confirms that we are still doing very well when it comes to financial and budget management”.

The Standard & Poor’s report begins “It is our view that the Brussels-Capital Region upholds very strong financial management and a very favorable position when it comes to liquidity”.

The ratings bureau reaffirmed the Brussels-Capital Region’s AA long term rating. As it is expected that the region will continue in the same vein between now and the next regional elections in 2019 the AA rating is with “stable prospects”.

Standard & Poor’s believes that the stringent management of the region’s finances will enable the Brussels Regional Government to make the investments that have been planned for the next two year, limit debts and maintain favorable liquidity.

The most important ratings factor remains unchanged from the previous report that was published in January 2017.

The Standard & Poor rating is important as it defines the conditions under which the Brussels Regional Government can lend money on the financial markets.

“This rating reassures the financial markets that there are few if any risks to investing in the Brussels region”, Mr Vanhengel concludes.

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