With 1966 direct jobs created by foreign investors, 2007 has undoubtedly seen the best result for the last eight years so far as the attraction of foreign investment is concerned.

70 investment dossiers were successfully implemented during the year, representing a total injection of 439 million euros in the regional economy.
With almost 204 million euros invested, new (greenfield) dossiers are running level with extensions to existing investments in Wallonia (234 million euros).
All these figures clearly show the importance of external investment in an economy wide open to the world, as the Walloon economy is.

The Agence wallonne à l'exportation et aux investissements étrangers [Wallonia Export and Investment Agency] has contributed to these fine results by prioritising the active search for new investors, welcoming and maintaining contacts with foreign businesses already installed in Wallonia, and at the same time widening its activity to new capital-exporting regions and improving its operational co-operation with local partners.

During 2007, two new sector specialists (Agro-Industry and Mechatech) have been taken on by the agency under the auspices of the Marshall Plan.

2007 also saw the agency developing new means of communication to publicise the theme "Wallonia10: 10 good reasons for investing in Wallonia" and also a "face-lift" for the www.investinwallonia.be site, which in June 2007 won the prize for the Best Internet Site at the European Attractiveness Awards 2007, awarded at the La Baule World Investment Conference.

Finally, 2007 was also marked by the celebration of the 500th foreign investment in Wallonia over the 2000-2006 period. This commemoration provided an opportunity to arrange a meeting at Namur, the capital of the region, for almost 500 guests representing the whole of the Belgian industrial landscape.