Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 NM): 1 437 km²
- Exclusive Economic Zone: 2 017 km²
Technical resources related to MSP
Current status of MSP
Name of the plan |
Royal Decree establishing a marine spatial plan, 20 March 2014 |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Completed |
Plan review
|
Completed |
Name of the plan |
Royal Decree establishing the marine spatial planning for the period 2020 to 2026 in the Belgian sea areas, 22 May 2019 (entry into force on 20 March 2020) |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Completed |
Plan approval
|
Completed |
Plan implementation
|
Underway |
Plan review
|
N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (1 = Local / 2 = Sub-national / 3 = National)
|
National |
Scope (1 = Coastal Zone / 2 = Coastal and Marine / 3 = Marine)
|
N/A |
Purpose (1 = Strategic / 2 = Zoning / 3 = Comprehensive)
|
N/A |
Political commitment (1 = Informal / 2 = Executive decision / 3= Legal statute)
|
N/A |
Implementation framework (1 = Guiding / 2 = Legally binding)
|
N/A |
Main objectives (1 = Biodiversity conservation / 2 = Economic development / 3 = Multiple objectives)
|
N/A |
Spatial allocation (1 = Limited / 2 = Partial allocation / 3 =Detailed allocation)
|
N/A |
Stakeholders involved (1 = Limited / 2 = Key sectors / 3 =Sectors & Public)
|
N/A |
Participatory process (1 = Informative / 2 = Consultative / 3 =Collaborative)
|
N/A |
Funding (1= Government / 2 = Public-Private / 3 = Grants)
|
N/A |
Name of the plan |
Royal Decree establishing the marine spatial planning for the period 2026 to 2034 in the Belgian Sea areas |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2025 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
3 454 km2 |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Minister of the North Sea (administrative authority: Marine Environment Department, FPS Health) |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning
|
Completed |
Assessments for planning
|
Completed |
Plan development
|
Completed |
Plan completion
|
Underway |
Plan approval
|
N/A |
Plan implementation
|
N/A |
Plan review
|
N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Marine Environment Department, FPS Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment |
Governmental funding |
Marine Environment Service |
External funding |
N/A |
Public-Private funding |
N/A |
Total size of planning area |
3 454 km² |
Time required to complete the planning document |
Three years |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers) |
Renewable energy
Blue economy Nature protection |
Stakeholder engagement activities |
Stakeholder workshops; bilateral meetings; public consultation; etc. |
Sectors included in planning |
Offshore renewables; fisheries; nature conservation; sand extraction; cables and pipelines; blue economy; shipping; ports; military activities |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) |
Separate, coastal management is a competence of the regional level |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) |
The MSP contributes to marine conservation by establishing MPA’s and marine reserves, contributing to 30 by 30 of which 10% is strictly protected. |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
N/A |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement) |
N/A |
Plan approval process |
Federal level |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Legally binding for all through Royal Decree |
Plan review process |
Every six years |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
Yearly monitoring of the execution of the plan through a committee with all competent authorities |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
Informal and formal consultation of the neighboring countries |
Legal framework
The planning process at the national level has a legal basis in the Marine Environment Act of 11 December 2022 (full name: “Act for the protection of marine environment and for the organization of maritime spatial planning in the maritime regions under the Belgian jurisdiction”). This law replaced the law under the same name of 1999 and changed the duration of the MSP from 6 to 8 years. A Royal Decree of 8 November 2023 dictates the establishment of an advisory committee and the procedure for the adoption of an MSP in the Belgian maritime regions.
The current MSP has been established for the period 2020-2026 by Royal Decree of the 22nd of May 2019. In April 2023, the review process of the Belgian MSP for the period 2026-2034 kicked off with an informal consultation. The received reactions were transformed into a first draft of the new plan A pre-draft of the plan was presented to the advisory committee, a dedicated committee consisting of all competent Belgian federal and Flemish government services, in March 2024. Their comments and suggestions were included in an adapted version.
A large-scale formal consultation process was launched in May 2024. As part of the consultation process, a public hearing was organized and the neighbouring and interested countries were contacted to provide their thoughts on the draft plan. After studying the comments made by the public, other government services, the industry and NGO’s, the new plan is currently being finalized. When adopted, this will be Belgium’s third MSP.
Contact
Marine Environment Department
Jesse Verhalle – Marine Spatial Planner