The Vlaams Economisch Verbond or VEV is a Flemish employers' organization and lobbying group. It was founded in 1908, by among others Lieven Gevaert as the Vlaamsch Handelsverbond, to create a Flemish counterpart of the Federation of Belgian Enterprises, and it became the VEV in 1926.
The main objectives of the organization were the development of the Flemish economy and the to improve the status of Flemish as a business language in Flanders. It is an important partner of the Flemish government on business in Flanders, and also participates in the Socio-economic Council of Flanders.
In 2004, VEV formed an alliance with the Flemish Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI’s) to create ‘Voka’. Today, there are still eight Voka - Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI) in Flanders (West Flanders, East Flanders, Antwerp-Waasland, Kempen, Mechelen, Halle-Vilvoorde, Leuven and Limburg). Together with the VEV, these eight CCI’s form the ‘Voka-Alliance’, the largest Flemish network of enterprises.
The main objective of the organization is to be the closest, most influential and most professional network of entrepreneurs and the representative organisation for companies in Flanders. Voka wishes to create an optimum framework for successful enterprise and thus seeks to make a fundamental contribution to its region’s welfare and wellbeing. It is an important partner of the Flemish government on business in Flanders, and also participates in the Socio-economic Council of Flanders.
This ‘Voka-Alliance’ unites more than 17 000 businesses from all sectors within the Flemish region. The alliance is politically independent; there is no structural funding from government. It is a non-profit organisation: small, medium and large-sized companies of all sectors everywhere in Flanders can become member on a voluntary basis. Our members represent 64% of the employment and 65% of the added value in Flanders.