Co-Extra > country reports > authorities BE for Belgium and Luxembourg

Relevant authorities in Belgium

In Belgium, agriculture is a regional competence lying with the regional ministries of agriculture. Since the Brussels capital region does not have agriculture, co-existence is not relevant there.

Regulatory bodies

The Flanders Minister of Agriculture, Yves Leterme, is responsible for establishing and implementing co-existence measures for the Flanders region.

For the Walloon region, this responsibility lies with the Walloon Minister of Agriculture, Benoit Lutgen.

Advisory panels

On federal level there is a biosafety committee. However, it is only involved in advising on applications for field trials, clinical trials, and marketing of GMOs, but does not occupy itself with co-existence. In Flanders a technical working group has been installed that is working on the practical co-existence measures for specific crops (e.g. isolation distances) which are going to be part of the Flanders co-existence regulatory framework.


Regional Co-extra reporter /rapporteur:
  • RenĂ© Custers
    Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB)
    Rijvisschestraat 120, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
    Website: http://www.vib.be/
    Email: rene.custers@vib.be
    Phone: +32 9 244 6611
    Fax: +32 9 244 6610



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