Recent accomplishments
Beltug works for you and on your behalf, to remove the barriers you face on your digital path. We represent your voice at the Belgian and international levels, among all stakeholders and policy makers.
Here are a few selected highlights of initiatives, to give you an idea of what we have achieved for you recently. And as we frequently emphasise: never hesitate to reach out if you have suggestions for us, or you need help from the Beltug community. After all, Beltug’s strength lies in the sharing of knowledge between peers who are going through the same journeys.
European Commission B2B Data Sharing and Cloud Computing Expert Group
Beltug President Claude Rapoport has been a member of the European Commission’s expert group since October 2022, contributing directly to the development of the model contractual terms (MCTs) and standard contractual clauses (SCCs) on behalf of the four sister CIO associations Beltug, Cigref (France), CIO Platform (Netherlands) and VOICE (Germany). Claude contributed specific expertise on making cloud exit and switching easier for organisations and is regularly invited to speak on the Data Act, bringing the perspective of business users. The clauses aim to ensure all companies can access the opportunities created by the Data Act and achieve their full potential.
eArchiving
eArchiving is a must these days. With the recently set standards and new legislation, digital documents can now be kept secure and certified. Beltug was one of the driving forces for the preparation of the law.
Successful argument against the publication of business phone numbers
At the beginning of 2024, a proposed amendment to the law on electronic communications would have required telecoms providers to provide all fixed and mobile telephone numbers for all companies, to the telephone information services. This would have created far-reaching complications. Beltug pleaded strongly against this opt-out (instead of opt-in) approach, and our input was factored into the decision of the Council of Ministers.
DNS and safe internet domains
We are one of the founders of DNS Belgium: together with Agoria and ISPA, we were at the inception of the liberalised .be domain. Our economy stands or falls with the internet and domain names. From the start, we stressed the importance of safe domains – which is as important today as it was then!
Collaboration with Guberna, the association for Board members and administrators
Digital is increasingly a matter for the entire business, including the Board of Directors. Through this collaboration with Guberna, we are building the bridge to Board members and directors, to smoothen conversations between ICT and the Board.
Regular recommendations for a corporate policy
We regularly update our recommendations for clear guidelines and agreements between employers and their employees. Each time, we keep in mind the new trends in digitisation, home working, security, privacy, etc.
Spectrum for Private 5G
Beltug successfully pleaded for the availability of a private 5G spectrum for companies.
Flat-rate benefit-in-kind
In 2018, we successfully negotiated with the Finance Cabinet to define a flat-rate benefit-in-kind for mobile phone use and internet use. This major improvement simplifies the calculation of the benefit-in-kind amount for employees and organisations.
Multi-operator indoor coverage for mobile communications
Proper indoor coverage of mobile services in buildings is crucial for a modern business environment, and contributes to the efficiency of enterprises. Beltug continues to raise this issue with all parties involved,including BIPT, telecom operators and the building sector. A joint initiative of mobile operators, the BIPT and Beltug has led to guidelines to help construction and real estate companies in planning and building qualitative multi-operator indoor radio infrastructures.
Mobile data index
At the launch of mobile data in Belgium, companies were puzzled about quickly decreasing market rates. In 2012, Beltug provided clarity, by publishing every six months an index to show the market evolution. Based on this index, Beltug members could benefit from the lower market rates without frequently renegotiating their contracts with the operators.