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South-North Corridor GRIP 2017
Image courtesy of Fluxys
4.2 The National Energy Policy
Frameworks in the Context
of Energy Transition
4.2.1 BELGIUM
Currently the federal government and the three Regions are developing within their
competencies an
Energy Vision/Energy Pact
defining the legal framework for the
energy transition. The
Energy Pact
is foreseen for 2017.
The General Belgian Energy Policy & Priorities for 2017, as prepared by the Federal
Public Services of Economy, lie in the preparation of the energy transition in Belgium
(based on security of supply and the nuclear phase-out) and the finalisation of the
energy pact.
In its 2016 review for Belgium, IEA acknowledged Belgium’s recent progress in
several areas of energy policy, but stressed the need for a national long-term energy
strategy without delay, in order to respond to the challenge of decarbonising the
economy while ensuring security of supply and affordability of energy. A major issue
to be addressed is the country’s nuclear phase-out policy and its consistency with
its objectives regarding electricity security and climate change mitigation.
In November 2016, the Flanders region was the first Belgian entity to ratify the Paris
Climate Agreement, shortly followed by the Walloon parliament. The Federal Minister
of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Transition confirmed at the 22
nd
UN climate
conference in Marrakesh the ambition of a Belgian ratification of the Paris Agreement
in the first half of 2017.