• Theme

    Birds Directive Areas in the Belgian part of the North Sea

    In implementing the Birds Directive, three areas were selected in the Belgian part of the North Sea as Birds Directive Area or Special Protection zone: SPZ1, SPZ2 and SPZ3. The...
  • Theme

    Habitats Directive Areas in the Belgian part of the North Sea

    In implementation of the Habitats Directive, the habitats directive areas "Trapegeer-Stoombank" and "Vlakte van de Raan" were established in the Belgian part of the North Sea in...
  • Theme

    The Water Framework Directive

    Need for pure water There is a high demand for clean water, not only in rivers and streams (river basins), but also at sea. Just like the seas, most rivers are transboundary. It...
  • Theme

    Offshore energy production

    Offshore wind farms, tidal power plants and wave energy converters generate significant sound waves that have a negative effect on cetaceans. Since these cetaceans are very...
  • Theme

    Permits and legislation

    Permits and legislation A sustainable balance between a healthy marine environment and human activities at sea is crucial to protect and, where necessary, restore existing...
  • Theme

    Northeast Atlantic cooperation OSPAR

    OSPAR is a regional convention for the protection of the marine environment of the Northeast Atlantic Ocean. It is a convention among fifteen countries: • Twelve of them...
  • Theme

    Cooperation within the United Nations

    the Convention and the London Protocol that regulate the dumping of substances at sea    The cooperation, the agreements and the processes that take place at the level...
  • Theme

    Environmental licences

    Any person (natural or legal person) who wishes to pursue activities in the Belgian part of the North Sea must ask himself the question whether a federal environmental licence is...
  • Theme

    UNCLOS

    UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) is the  Law of the Sea convention of the United Nations (Montego Bay, 1982) and is a key convention at international...
  • Theme

    The Biodiversity Convention

    The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is one of the first conventions that links the protection of biodiversity to sustainable development. It was negotiated during the...