Belgium
22.8.2006Belgium: a small, but complicated country

Belgium, a small country, in the heart of Europe, at the crossroads of Latin and Germanic cultures: its history has been marked by the main developments of European history. Often it has played the leading role in new developments, be it in politics, economics, arts, culture or technics. Socially, Belgium has a rich history and tradition as well. Christian Trade Unions have been key players in that social reality for more than one century. 

Belgium has 3 trade union confederations recognized as representative organisations: the ACV-CSC (Christian) with 1.700.000 affiliates, the ABVV-FGTB (Socialist) with approximately 1.200.000 and the ACLVB-CGSLB (Liberal) 
with 240.000 members.  The CSC and ABVV-FGTB constitute the common trade union front for all important actions and negotiations.  

The interests of over 1.7 million members are represented within the CSC through its double structure: the Trade Federations coordinating de trade union activities for those working in the same sector and the Regional Federations organizing the services for the members and coordinating general interest activities for the members on an inter-trade basis.