Competent Authorities

COMPETENT AUtHORITIES ON IAS IN BELGIUM

Implementation of the European Regulation on IAS in Belgium mainly relates to nature conservation, which is a competence shared by the Federal authority and the Regions. This includes border control, management of waterways or inspection of pet shops and garden centres. As a consequence, the landscape of competent authorities in charge of the implementation of the IAS Regulation is rather scattered in Belgium:

• The Federal authority: Federal competence related to the IAS Regulation deals with enforcing border controls (import, export and transit, and permits for derogations) as well as all that relates to the North Sea (e.g. marine IAS).
  • Federal public service - Health, food chain safety and environment
• The Regions: Regional competence related to the Regulation deals with national trade, detention of species (and permits for such derogations), monitoring and management:
  • Flanders: Departement omgeving, luik Leefmilieu, Natuur en Energie / Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos
  • Wallonia: Wallonie Service Public
  • Brussels: Leefmilieu Brussel/Bruxelles environment

To ensure proper, coherent and coordinated implementation of the European IAS Regulation, a cooperation agreement between the Federal authority, the Communities and the Regions was established in June to officialise the cooperation between the different competent authorities.