Its role gained in importance as the European integration was progressing. The European policy of Belgium is defined through more than 545 coordination meetings a year the DG EUR organizes with the federal departments, the communities and the regions. Its objective? Find a consensus and make Belgium speak with one voice on the European scene. Besides, the DG EUR maintains numerous contacts with foreign interlocutors on the European level. The DG EUR is responding to the questions the citizens raise about Europe by providing certain services, by organizing specialized training sessions and by taking targeted communication actions.
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Coordination of the European policy and the representation of Belgium
In accordance with the constitutional principle of in foro interno, in foro externo (i.e. the parallelism between internal and external competences), the federated entities of Belgium are empowered to act on the international aspects of their internal powers (such as energy, environment, education, etc.). With the signing of the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht, it also became possible for the ministers of the federated entities to represent their Member State in the Council of the European Union.
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Organisation chart
Organisation chart of the Directorate-general European Affairs (DG EUR).
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Who are we?
Mission and structure of the Directorate-general European Affairs.
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Annual report on the activities of the EU
On this page you'll find the annual report on the activities of the EU.
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Freedom, security and justice
The Union is founded on the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Union offers its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice without internal borders, in which the free movement of persons is ensured in conjunction with appropriate measures with respect to external border controls, asylum, immigration and the prevention and combating of crime, and in which fundamental rights and the different legal systems and traditions of the Member States are respected.
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Economic & monetary union, European budget and social convergence
Economic governance means coordinating the economic policies of Member States of the European Union (EU), designed to achieve the EU’s objectives. The financial, budgetary, and economic crisis which began in 2008 demonstrated that the EU needed a more effective model of governance than the model of coordination or ad hoc responses that had been widespread until then. The COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine have emphasised this even more strongly. The need for a structural reform of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) was highlighted by underlining the role of budgetary control and the social component. The deepening of the EMU is intended to be the driving force of a harmonious socio-economic governance. Given the risks posed by the persistence of serious imbalances in this area, social and employment indicators will now be considered in economic analyses.
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Internal market and industry
The internal market is based on the three major freedoms (goods/people/services/capital). European policy focuses on making everyday life easier and on creating more opportunities for consumers, businesses and governments who invest and buy and sell goods on the European internal market. European legislation also sets out to achieve sustainable growth via the transition to a carbon-neutral economy and a broader and more integrated vision of the internal market that corresponds more closely to industrial and trade policies.
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Climate and energy
The energy and climate policy of the European Union is based on three important pillars: energy security, competitiveness and sustainability. The new policy framework for 2030 sets an interim target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% from 1990 levels. This measure is an intermediate step toward the ultimate goal of climate neutrality by 2050, as set forth in the European Green Deal.
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The EU digital agenda
In February 2020, the European Commission launched its digital strategy, with a series of thematic and legislative initiatives in the digital field. The ongoing implementation, enforcement and governance of the European legislative framework on digital affairs, encouraging new (cutting-edge) digital technologies and preparing Europe's telecommunications infrastructure for the future will now form the areas of focus of the new European Commission 2024-2029.
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Transport
Transport is a cornerstone of European integration and is essential to the free movement of people, goods, and services. European transport policy boosts the European economy by developing a modern infrastructure network, which enables faster, safer, and more sustainable transport solutions and fosters the digitalisation of transport systems.
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Environment and health
Environmental problems, such as air pollution, do not stop at national borders. Partly driven by global developments, the EU has built up an impressive body of legislation, whereby the Member States are collectively seeking solutions for tackling cross-border environmental problems such as air pollution, water pollution and loss of biodiversity. The EU Member States largely organise their own healthcare for their citizens. The EU supplements national policy by establishing common objectives. For example, the EU provides help in tackling common challenges such as epidemics, chronic illnesses or an ageing population. In recent years, the EU's role in the field of health has grown, particularly in the wake of the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Agriculture and fisheries
The main components of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are direct payments to support farmers' incomes, the common organisation of the markets for agricultural products and the development of the EU's rural areas. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) aims to preserve marine biological resources: fish, crustaceans and shellfish, and to manage the European Union's fishing fleet. The CFP also aims to ensure the long-term environmental sustainability of marine fisheries and aquaculture activities and the positive economic and social benefits for fishermen and coastal communities.
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Trade policy
The common trade policy is an exclusive competence of the European Union. The European Commission negotiates with trading partners on behalf of the European Union after obtaining a mandate from the Member States. The Member States provide support and guidance to the Commission during these negotiations, while the Commission keeps the European Parliament immediately and fully informed. In accordance with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Commission conducts such trade negotiations both with third-party states and within the framework of international organisations, primarily the World Trade Organization (WTO). The EU institutions are also responsible for drafting and implementing EU trade legislation.
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External relations
As a result of the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, and as a result of the appointment of a High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy (who is also Vice-President of the European Commission) and of the creation of a European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Union's external relations were fundamentally redesigned, thereby enabling the European Union to become more responsive. The actions undertaken by the EU are guided by the principles that the organisation seeks to promote throughout the world: peace, democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.
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Treaties, institutions and political project
The European Union is founded on the values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights and continues to implement these objectives for the benefit of its citizens. In pursuit of these objectives, the Union relies on legal bases, the European treaties and European institutions: the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the Court of Justice.
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Transposition and infringements
European directives must be transposed into national legislation by each EU Member State within a specified deadline, and other legal instruments must also be implemented. In the event of the late, incomplete or incorrect application of European law, the European Commission may initiate infringement proceedings, which may lead to the case being referred to the EU Court of Justice. In Belgium, the Minister of European Affairs coordinates this process, in which different federal and federated entities are involved.
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SOLVIT, mediation for administrative problems in Europe
SOLVIT is a free online mediation network set up by the European Commission in 2002 to help citizens and businesses living, working or studying in a Member State other than their own to solve administrative problems related to their rights as EU citizens. The Belgian SOLVIT Centre is affiliated to the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
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Scholarships
Information on the Traineeships Bernheim Foundation and the College of Europe.
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Europe Direct brings Europe closer to its citizens
The Europe Direct information centres are an initiative of the European Commission. Set up in 1997 in cooperation with the FPS Foreign Affairs, most of these centres are operated by a host structure established within a province/community/region from which they also receive support.
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Transposition of European Directives: State of Play
This page provides a monthly overview regarding the transposition of European directives into Belgian law.
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Interinstitutional Ethics Body
Statement by Belgium on the establishment of an EU ethics body.
