The Financité Network provides support through research and legal advice to local currencies in Belgium. Their goal is to change how finance is viewed through workshops, professional training, citizen initiatives, and solidarity projects. In 2018 there were nearly 385,000 euro equivalents in circulation and 1,111 participating providers in Belgium.
“In Wallonia and in Brussels, several Financité groups were born around a concept: to reclaim the currency, an incredible tool, to put it at the service of the citizens, to reinforce local exchanges or, again, to create a real economic initiative in the margins of the traditional financial system.”
Blés
Region: Grez-Doiceau, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: April 2015
Description and Background: Blés notes exchange 1:1 to the euro with no reconversion fee. Membership in the association is not required to participate in the exchanges but is required to participate at votes for the strategic choices about the currency. BLES means "Bon Local pour l’Economie Solidaire" (local voucher for a solidarity-based economy).
Circulation and Participation: In 2015 there were 25 professionals, 100 users, and 10,000 BLES in circulation.
Founders: GeT'IT, the workshop of local economy, social and solidarity of Grez in Transition, local group of Financité
Contact: getit@grezentransition.be, bles@grezentransition.be, eric.luyckx.prive@gmail.com
Website: http://www.grezentransition.be/spip.php?rubrique61
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/monnaieBLES/
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Carol'Or
Region: Charleroi, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: May 2019
Description and Background: Carol'Or notes exchange 1:1 to the euro and the program "aims primarily to promote business, local service providers and initiatives, anxious to combine quality, solidarity, and respect for the environment."
Circulation and Participation: unknown
Founders: unknown
Contact: info@carolor.org, Press: Aline Caillaux, presse@carolor.org
Website: www.carolor.org
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/LeCarolOr/
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Epi Lorraine
Region: Belgian Lorraine
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: June 2012
Description and Background: Epi notes are complementary to the euro and can be obtained at trading desks or through online orders and delivery. There is no conversion fee for businesses converting back to euros. Membership in the association is not required to participate in the exchanges.
Circulation and Participation: In 2015 there were 310 members, 120 providers, 43,061 Epis in circulation, and 40,000 euros available for micro-credit.
Founders: unknown
Contact: contact@enepisdubonsens.org
Website: http://www.enepisdubonsens.org/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/L%C3%89pi-Lorrain-316537711728683/
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L'Ardoise
Region: Lesse et Semois, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: November 2018
Description and Background: L'Ardoise notes are complementary to the euro with the goal “to lead to a change, to a new economy, based on short circuits, with a real ethic.”
Circulation and Participation: >40 participating businesses
Founders: unknown
Contact: info@monnaie-ardoise.be
Website: http://www.monnaie-ardoise.be/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/Ardoisemonnaie
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Lumsou
Region: Manur, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: 2017
Description and Background: Le Lumsou notes are complementary to the euro. The objective of the currency is "to support farmers, producers, self-employed, entrepreneurs who work from day to day in the spirit of economic development respectful of people and the environment and stimulate citizens to consume locally while respecting and promoting certain values.”
Circulation and Participation: unknown
Founders: unknown
Contact: info@lumsou.be
Website: https://www.lumsou.be/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/lumsou/
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Orno
Region: Gembloux and Sombreffe, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: June 2018
Description and Background: Orno notes are organized by a citizen collective with the goal of “giving a new lease on life and supporting the local economy."
Circulation and Participation: 13 founders, 40 providers, 7 trading counters
Founders: unknown
Contact: info@orno.be
Website: http://www.orno.be/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/orno.monnaie/
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Ropi
Region: Mons, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: 2016
Description and Background: Ropi notes exchange 1:1 to the euro. There is a 5% reconversion fee for businesses converting back to euros; individual consumers cannot do this conversion.
Circulation and Participation: In 2019 1,077 Ropis were ordered in a network of 19 merchants.
Founders: unknown
Contact: info@ropi.be, Laurent Cardon - Secretary and accountant laurent.cardon@ropi.be
Website: https://www.ropi.be/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/RopiAsbl/
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Solatoi
Region: Ath, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: March 2018
Description and Background: Solatoi notes exchange 1:1 to the euro. Only businesses can reconvert to euros at an as yet undecided rate.
Circulation and Participation: unknown
Founders: unknown
Contact: solatoi.be@gmail.com
Website: http://www.solatoi.be/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/solatoimonnaielocale/?ref=br_rs
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Sous-rire
Region: Malmedy, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: June 2017
Description and Background: Le Sous-rire notes exchange 1:1 to the euro and businesses can convert back to euros at no cost.
Circulation and Participation: 18 participating businesses
Founders: Le Sous-rire association
Contact: info@sous-rire.be
Website: http://www.sous-rire.be/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/Les-Sous-rire-monnaie-citoyenne-283472802041802/
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Talent
Region: Brabant Walloon centre, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: October 2016
Description and Background: Le Talent notes exchange 1:1 to the euro. The non-profit association "Le Talent" manages the project, and membership in the association is not required to participate in the exchanges.
Circulation and Participation: 26 exchange counters, 194 businesses
Founders: Le Talent association
Contact: Fabienne Neuwels, fabienne.neuwels@gmail.com, letalent.bw@gmail.com
Website: http://letalent.be/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/letalent.bw/
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Val'heureux
Region: Liege et sa region, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: June 2014
Description and Background: Le Val’heureux notes exchange 1:1 to the euro. The non-profit organization "Le Val'heureux" manages and develops the currency. Membership in the association is not required to participate in the exchanges. The bills include a zero denomination, which has not been given a specific plan for use. However, the Valheureux promoters are "betting on the imagination and ingenuity of their fellow citizens to make good use of it.” Additionally, each denomination has been associated with a specific thematic value: "the social bond for the zero bill; the environment for the half bill; culture for the bill of one; food sovereignty for the five-dollar bill; freedom and democracy for the ten bill; solidarity for the bill of twenty.”
Circulation and Participation: unknown
Founders: Liège en Transition
Contact: info@valheureux.be
Website: https://valheureux.be/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/valeureux/
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Voltî
Region: Marche and Ciney, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: October 2016
Description and Background: Joining the association is required to exchange to Voltîs at a 1:1 rate to the euro.
Circulation and Participation: unknown
Founders: Le Voltî association
Contact: mlc.volti@gmail.com
Website: http://levolti.be/wakka.php?wiki=PagePrincipale
Social Media: https://twitter.com/le_volti https://www.facebook.com/le.volti/
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Yar
Region: Tournaisis, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: May 2019
Description and Background: The Yar notes are exchanged 1:1 to the euro with no demurrage and a 3% conversion fee back to euros. “The project aims at revitalizing the region of Tournai by promoting a close, more responsible and sustainable economy. It enhances the know-how of local actors, creates social relationships and develops solidarity between consumers, producers, and businesses, promotes environmentally friendly consumption, and brings money back into the real economy. It advocates food sovereignty by targeting the productive sectors and especially small farmers.”
Circulation and Participation: 80 partnership agreements with service providers, 8 exchange desks
Founders: Asbl le Yar
Contact: Jean-Yves, info@yar-tournai.be
Website: www.yar-tournai.be
Social Media: https://twitter.com/le_volti https://www.facebook.com/le.volti/
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Zinne
Region: Brussels, Belgium
Currency Type: locally-issued convertible paper currency
First Issued: 2019
Description and Background: Zinne notes exchange 1:1 to the euro. As of June 2019, there are no conversion costs for businesses because the program is still in its early stages. The currency is meant to be "a transparent and democratic tool, the fruit of citizen and participative management.” There is a zero denomination in Zinne bills, which "0 comes from the Val'heureux (citizen currency in the province of Liège) who also experiment. This note will allow a trade to be settled without assigning a value in euros.”
Circulation and Participation: unknown
Founders: La Zinne association
Contact: info@zinne.brussels
Website: http://www.zinne.brussels/
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/monnaiemuntZinne/