Energy in the governmental declaration of the "interim"-government Verhofstadt III

The CD&V-N-VA, PS, Open VLD, MR and cdH agreed upon the following passus on energy and climate in the governmental declaration:

"6. Climate and energy will also be on top of the interim government's agenda. Next to measures with regard to spending power and in view of affordable prices and a guaranteed supply, we shall take additional measures to increase the stake of the consumers in the energy market. Belgium ranges itself with the goals of the second Kyoto-allociation plan and with the new goals for renewable energy. It will negotiate thereto with the European Commission on an ambitious and realistic contribution of our country. In the same spirit, the federal government will support the regions, the industry and the European community in finding solutions for the problems related to the allocation of CO2-quota for the 2008-2012 period. Furthermore it will activate and enlarge instruments to reduce the emission of CO2 in the residential sector and to decrease the bills of the families."

Energy in the governmental declaration of the "interim"-government Verhofstadt III

New federal climate minister

Belgium finally has an "interim" government, with an expiry date on 23 March 2008.

The new minister for energy (officially: Minister for Climate and Sustainable Energy) is Paul Magnette. For a short CV, see the page on Wikipedia.

New federal climate minister

Unbundling and the standpoint of Belgium

Contrary to some rumors in the press, it appears from a discussion in the Belgian Senate on 6 December 2007 that Belgium is still opting for an ownership unbundling of the system operators. Only if the Member States would soften the principle of ownership unbundling, Belgium would not oppose this idea, provided that an efficient market functioning is guaranteed.

Unbundling and the standpoint of Belgium