Country Profiles

Belgian Federal Council for Sustainable Development

Federale Raad voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling / Conseil Fédéral du Développement Durable (FRDO-CFDD)

Contact

Name: Jan Mertens

Position: staff member

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone: +32(0)27433154

Address:

Federale Raad voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling / Conseil Fédéral du Développement Durable (FRDO-CFDD)

 

Kruidtuinlaan 50 bus 70 - Boulevard du Jardin botanique 50 boîte 70

1000 Brussel - Bruxelles, Belgium

Website: www.frdo-cfdd.be

Belgium200

Mission Statement

The FRDO-CFDD was established to regulate the co-ordination of the federal policy on sustainable development.

The main duties of the FDRO are to:

  • express opinions on all measures concerning federal policy on sustainable development, particularly on Belgium's international commitments, including those around Agenda 21, the UNFCCC & CBD, and Rio+20;
  • provide a forum for exchange of views on sustainable development (through symposia, seminars, roundtables with members of the government, etc.), and communicate ideas and issues around SD to public/private/civil society; and
  • propose research in all fields related to sustainable development.

The Council’s work is arranged through six permanent, and other ad hoc, working groups on the following themes:

  • Strategies on sustainable development;
  • Energy and climate; International relations;
  • Scientific research and sustainable development;
  • Awareness and communication;
  • Product standards; and
  • Biological diversity and forests (ad hoc).

Composition and Membership

The FRDO-CFDD was established by Law in 1997 to provide policy advice to the federal government, replacing the National Council for Sustainable Development (1993-97).

The multi-stakeholder FRDO-CFDD has 24 Council Members with voting rights (next to other members with observer status) representing social partners, environmental, consumers' and development NGOs, representatives of scientific bodies, trade unions, employers, business and the scientific community. Representatives of federal and regional ministers also participate as observers to the work of the Council. The FRDO-CFDD has a secretariat with seven staff.

Role and Functions

  • to issue opinions on all aspects of federal sustainable development policy. All members of the federal government can ask the council for an opinion, or the council can issue an own initiative opinion. Next to this the council organizes forum activities on SD issues and publishes several newsletters.

Recent Activities

FRDO-CFDD issued an opinion on the follow-up of Rio+20 and the Post-2015 Development Agenda in January 2013. See full documents.

FRDO-CFDD organized a seminar on the preparation of the National Reform programme of Belgium in April 2012. See Newsletter.