{
    "title": "Infrastructure spending in Belgium to reach \u20ac17 billion annually by 2050 ",
    "modified_at": "2026-05-06 15:43:07",
    "published_at": "2026-05-06 11:00:00",
    "url": "https://press.pwc.be/infrastructure-spending-in-belgium-to-reach-17-billion-annually-by-2050",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/YcGd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "subtitle": "Social, transport and industrial infrastructure account for 64% of spending today according to PwC",
    "slug": "infrastructure-spending-in-belgium-to-reach-17-billion-annually-by-2050",
    "body": "\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/4e2b89b5-daab-4a9e-98b1-e2e26ba73825/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                                    srcset=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/4e2b89b5-daab-4a9e-98b1-e2e26ba73825/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/ 1x, https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/4e2b89b5-daab-4a9e-98b1-e2e26ba73825/-/resize/2400x/-/format/auto/ 2x\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"\"\n                id=\"image-4e2b89b5-daab-4a9e-98b1-e2e26ba73825\"\n                data-id=\"4e2b89b5-daab-4a9e-98b1-e2e26ba73825\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/4e2b89b5-daab-4a9e-98b1-e2e26ba73825/-/inline/no/Infra+2050+hero+image.jpg\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/4e2b89b5-daab-4a9e-98b1-e2e26ba73825/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Story image\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\"></figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p><strong>Diegem, 06 May 2026 &ndash; Belgian annual infrastructure spending reached &euro;12 billion in 2024 and is forecasted to rise 42% by 2050 to 17 billion euro in 2050, according to PwC&rsquo;s Global Infrastructure Outlook. The Belgian outlook is shaped by upgrades to grid infrastructure, the continued rollout of renewables, rising defence investment aligned with EU and NATO commitments, and continued investment in telecoms and digital infrastructure. PwC reports how global infrastructure is entering an unprecedented investment cycle, with annual spending forecast to rise from 3.76 trillion euro worldwide in 2024 to 5.9 trillion euro in 2050. </strong> </p><p style=\"text-align: left\">PwC&rsquo;s analysis is the first of its kind to offer long-term infrastructure spending forecasts to 2050 for nine sectors, 20 subsectors and 45 countries and territories, which represent 88% of global economic output. It draws on the last 20 years of spending data and models future spending based on economic and policy factors. Across the period, cumulative global infrastructure investment is forecast to reach &euro;129.3 trillion as countries modernise transport, power and industrial systems to meet the demands of AI, electrification and urbanisation. In real terms, the forecast suggests global infrastructure spending over the next 25 years will be double that of the past 20 years, before which comparable data is unavailable. \u200b </p><p style=\"text-align: left\">The outlook highlights that investment in power, transport and digital infrastructure will converge to create more intelligent networks, where traditional assets operate as part of connected, digitally enabled and electrified systems. \u200b </p><p style=\"text-align: left\">In Belgium, social infrastructure is forecast to represent the largest share of cumulative spend of &euro;108.7 through 2050, followed by transport infrastructure, with total spending of &euro;89.8 billion over the same period. Industrial infrastructure spending is expected to reach a total of &euro;51.4 billion over 2025-2050. \u200b Together, these three sectors account for 64% of Belgium&#039;s infrastructure spending through to 2050. \u200b </p><p style=\"text-align: left\"> </p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--contained release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/a5dc9787-ef38-41bc-a481-7780ee7d3927/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"\"\n                id=\"image-a5dc9787-ef38-41bc-a481-7780ee7d3927\"\n                data-id=\"a5dc9787-ef38-41bc-a481-7780ee7d3927\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/a5dc9787-ef38-41bc-a481-7780ee7d3927/-/inline/no/Graph+Annual+Spending.jpg\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/a5dc9787-ef38-41bc-a481-7780ee7d3927/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Story image\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\"></figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Source: Oxford Economics</em> </p><p style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>Simply mobilising capital is not enough to ensure success</strong> </p><p style=\"text-align: left\">PwC states there are significant risks associated with execution, fragmented planning processes, inconsistent engagement with communities, vulnerabilities in supply chains, and outdated models for delivering infrastructure. These challenges could diminish the economic benefits expected from the unprecedented levels of investment. The outlook identifies several key priorities to address these issues: </p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span><strong>System-level planning</strong> is essential for coordinating investments across sectors such as power, digital, transport, water, and industry. By doing so, it is possible to avoid bottlenecks, streamline regulatory processes, and unlock greater productivity. </span></li><li><span><strong>Innovative financing and partnership models</strong> are needed, including approaches like capital recycling and standardised blended-finance platforms. These mechanisms can help mobilise long-term private investment and reduce risks associated with new technologies, making more projects viable&mdash;particularly in emerging markets. </span></li><li><span><strong>Modern delivery and commercial models</strong> should be adopted, utilising outcome-based contracting, digital twin technology, modular construction, and AI-driven project controls. These advancements can enhance speed, certainty, and overall performance in infrastructure delivery. </span></li></ul><p style=\"text-align: left\">Didier Vandenhaute, Partner at PwC Belgium, states: &ldquo;<em>This is not a conventional construction boom. The infrastructure now being built must be smarter, cleaner and far more adaptable, from roads ready for autonomous vehicles and wireless charging to businesses powered by automated supply networks, clean energy and secure computing. The real challenge is not simply to build more, but to modernise the systems that drive productivity and competitiveness. As the world enters a historic new wave of infrastructure investment, Belgium&rsquo;s success will depend not only on mobilising capital, but on linking planning, finance and delivery to create future-ready systems that can respond to demand, deploy resources intelligently and unlock lasting productivity gains across the economy.&rdquo;</em> </p><p style=\"text-align: left\"><em><strong>&ndash; </strong></em><strong>ENDS</strong><em><strong> &ndash;</strong></em> </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Notes to Editors </strong> </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>About PwC&rsquo;s Global Infrastructure Outlook 2050</strong> </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">The Global Infrastructure Outlook 2050 is based on a database of infrastructure spending forecasts generated by Oxford Economics. All figures are in real prices (i.e. inflation has been adjusted for). The outlook covers nine sectors and 20 infrastructure subsectors in 45 countries and territories. Most data sources, visited during 2025, provided figures up to either 2023 or 2024. The main sources of spending data used were the OECD, Eurostat and national statistical agencies. Data that was not available from official public sources was estimated using a variety of techniques. This involved the usage of additional data sources (International Energy Agency, Milex), estimating sectoral infrastructure spending from sectoral capital expenditure or using available metrics from peer countries to estimate spending. The database provides a structural economic framework that considers both supply and demand factors impacting sectoral growth. \u200b \u200b </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">All amounts mentioned in euro were calculated according to the euro foreign exchange reference rate of the <a href=\"https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/index.en.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>European Central Bank</u></a> on 5 May 2026. The reference rates are based on the daily concertation procedure between central banks across Europe and are published for information purposes only. \u200b </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>About PwC</strong> \u200b </p><p style=\"text-align: left\">At PwC, we help clients build trust and reinvent so they can turn complexity into competitive advantage. We&rsquo;re a tech-forward, people-empowered network with more than 364,000 people in 136 countries and 137 territories. Across audit and assurance, tax and legal, deals and consulting we help build, accelerate and sustain momentum. Find out more at <a href=\"http://www.pwc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.pwc.com</a>. </p><p style=\"text-align: left\">PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see <a href=\"http://www.pwc.com/structure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.pwc.com/structure</a> for further details. </p><p style=\"text-align: left\">&copy; 2026 PwC. All rights reserved.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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        "first_name": "Jonas",
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