Integrated water Policy in Flanders

The Flemish Decree on Integrated Water Policy 

The Flemish Decree on Integrated Water Policy is officially approved in July 2003 (Belgium Law Gazette, 14.11.03). This decree is the juridical implementation of the European Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive in Flemish law.

The organisation and planning of the integrated water management

For the organisation and planning of the integrated water management, the decree on Integrated Water Policy distinguishes 4 levels:

1. the River Basin District (Scheldt and Meuse) with the river basin management plans
2. the Flemish region (river basins Scheldt, Meuse, IJzer, Polders of Bruges) with the Water Policy Note
3. the sub-basin (11) with the river catchment management plans
4. sub-sub-basin (103) with the sub-river catchment management plans.

The international coordination for the river basin districts of the Scheldt, resp. Meuse is assigned to the
International Scheldt Commission (ISC) and the International Meuse Commission (IMC) through the treaties of Ghent (03.12.02).

The minister who is responsible for integrated water policy is assisted by the Coordination Committee on Integrated Water Policy (CIW). This commission is responsible for the coordination of the integrated water policy on the level of the Flemish Region.

Flanders is divided in 11 sub-basins. In each sub-basins a common consultative and organisational structure, i.e. the basin management (political consultation between the Flemish Region, the provinces and the municipalities), the basin secretary (technical-official)  and the basin council (social consultation with the stakeholders), is under preparation and will be fully operational in the near future.

At the local level district water boards are operating on the level of sub-sub-basin or per cluster of sub-subbasins.