BELGIUM © gettyimages, chrisdorney The Environmental Implementation Review 2019 COUNTRY REPORT BELGIUM Environment EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 4.4.2019 SWD(2019) 112 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The EU Environmental Implementation Review 2019 Country Report - BELGIUM Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Environmental Implementation Review 2019: A Europe that protects its citizens and enhances their quality of life {COM(2019) 149 final} - {SWD(2019) 111 final} - {SWD(2019) 113 final} - {SWD(2019) 114 final} - {SWD(2019) 115 final} - {SWD(2019) 116 final} - {SWD(2019) 117 final} - {SWD(2019) 118 final} - {SWD(2019) 119 final} - {SWD(2019) 120 final} - {SWD(2019) 121 final} - {SWD(2019) 122 final} - {SWD(2019) 123 final} - {SWD(2019) 124 final} - {SWD(2019) 125 final} - {SWD(2019) 126 final} - {SWD(2019) 127 final} - {SWD(2019) 128 final} - {SWD(2019) 129 final} - {SWD(2019) 130 final} - {SWD(2019) 131 final} - {SWD(2019) 132 final} - {SWD(2019) 133 final} - {SWD(2019) 134 final} - {SWD(2019) 135 final} - {SWD(2019) 136 final} - {SWD(2019) 137 final} - {SWD(2019) 138 final} - {SWD(2019) 139 final} EN EN This report has been written by the staff of the Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission. Comments are welcome, please send them to [email protected] More information on the European Union is available at http://europa.eu. Photographs: p. 14 — ©iStock/ Geofff; p. 15 — © iStock/ 4nadia; p. 22 — © iStock/ jotily; p. 26 — © gettyimages/ barmalini; p. 29 — © iStock/ Leonid Andronov For reproduction or use of these photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder. ©European Union, 2019 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged 1 Table of contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................... 3 PART I: THEMATIC AREAS .............................................................................................................................. 4 1. TURNING THE EU INTO A CIRCULAR, RESOURCE-EFFICIENT, GREEN AND COMPETITIVE LOW- CARBON ECONOMY .............................................................................................................................. 4 Measures towards a circular economy ................................................................................................. 4 Waste management .............................................................................................................................. 8 Climate change .................................................................................................................................... 10 2. PROTECTING, CONSERVING AND ENHANCING NATURAL CAPITAL .................................................. 14 Nature and biodiversity ....................................................................................................................... 14 Maintaining and restoring ecosystems and their services .................................................................. 15 Estimating natural capital ................................................................................................................... 17 Invasive alien species .......................................................................................................................... 17 Soil protection ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Marine protection ............................................................................................................................... 19 3. ENSURING CITIZENS’ HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE ........................................................................ 21 Air quality ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Industrial emissions ............................................................................................................................. 23 Noise ................................................................................................................................................. 24 Water quality and management ......................................................................................................... 25 Chemicals ............................................................................................................................................ 27 Making cities more sustainable ........................................................................................................... 29 PART II: ENABLING FRAMEWORK: IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS ................................................................... 32 4. GREEN TAXATION, GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING AND INVESTMENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Green taxation and environmentally harmful subsidies ..................................................................... 32 Green public procurement .................................................................................................................. 33 Environmental funding and investments ............................................................................................ 34 5. STRENGTHENING ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE ......................................................................... 38 Information, public participation and access to justice ...................................................................... 38 Compliance assurance ......................................................................................................................... 39 Effectiveness of environmental administrations ................................................................................ 40 International agreements ................................................................................................................... 42 Sustainable development and the implementation of the UN SDGs .................................................. 43 2 Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Belgium Executive summary Belgium and the Environmental Implementation Review continue to be assessed and in Flanders efforts to reduce (EIR) nutrients pollution must continue. In the 2017 EIR, the main challenges identified for In the area of nature conservation, thanks to an effective Belgium for the implementation of EU environmental use of EU funding, several measures are under way to policy and law were to: restore and manage Natura 2000 sites. Agricultural management measures have also been stepped up to improve air quality, in particular nitrogen dioxide protect species and habitats, although it is currently levels, by reducing traffic congestion; unclear if these measures are sufficient to counteract the continue to address water pollution coming from negative trends in the wider countryside that are due to urban wastewater and agricultural sources; agricultural intensification and resulting eutrophication. manage the Natura 2000 network towards An issue raised in this report is the need to ensure better favourable conservation status for all species and implementation of the EU Timber Regulation. habitats. In its EIR National Dialogue in March 2017, Belgium Furthermore, Belgium continues to make efficient use of focused on traffic congestion, air pollution, human health EU funds and loan opportunities in particular for and compliance assurance. The federal structure of supporting circular economy. Belgium means most environmental issues are a regional Examples of good practice competence. Therefore, effective coordination is needed within a system of multi-level governance. In 2018, Belgium issued its first green bonds. Regarding circular economy, the work in Flanders to The Commission launched in 2017 the TAIEX-EIR Peer-to- examine sustainability transitions through its ‘Vision Peer (EIR P2P), as a new practical tool facilitating peer-to- 2050’ initiative is noteworthy. Wallonia has peer learning between environmental authorities. introduced effective incentives for municipalities to Belgium has participated in EIR P2P activities on circular increase separate waste collection. As for the economy, air and waste management. Brussels, its efforts on the circular economy have Progress since the 2017 report in meeting challenges been showcased in the European Circular Economy Platform. At 53.5 % (2016), Belgium’s municipal The 2019 EIR report shows that for air quality there has waste recycling rate is among the highest in the EU. been some progress in reducing emissions. This was Several green infrastructure initiatives have taken helped by planning measures such as low emission zones, shape. For example: (i) ‘maillage vert et bleu’ which technical improvements to vehicles and fiscal incentives. reconnects natural sites in the Brussels region; (ii) There was substantial progress on particulate matter, the restoration prioritisation framework in the with no reports of Belgium exceeding limits in 2016 and Flanders region; and (iii) the Walloon Code for some progress on nitrogen oxides emissions.. Emissions territorial development requiring ecological were only marginally reduced and limit values continue connectivity.