Belgium Misses EU Nature Restoration Plan Deadline
Belgium failed to submit its national nature restoration plan to the European Commission by the September 1 deadline, as required by the EU Nature Restoration Law. The delay stems primarily from incomplete regional plans in Brussels and Wallonia, raising concerns about the country’s commitment to EU biodiversity targets.
A Deadline Missed
The EU Nature Restoration Regulation, adopted in June 2024 after a contentious political journey, requires member states to submit national plans outlining how they will restore damaged ecosystems. The law mandates restoration measures on at least 20 percent of EU land and sea territory by 2030, and all ecosystems in need by 2050. According to VRT NWS, Belgium will not be sending its plan to Brussels today.
The delay is particularly significant given Belgium’s environmental record. According to the European Environment Agency’s latest analysis, Belgium has the worst nature status in all of Europe, ranking at the very bottom of the list.
Regional Delays
Belgium’s environmental policy is largely devolved to its three regions — Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels-Capital — and the national plan must be a coherent combination of all three regional plans plus the federal contribution. While the federal and Flemish plans are reportedly ready, the Brussels-Capital Region and Wallonia have not completed their components, as The Brussels Times reported.
Brussels State Secretary for Climate and Environment Ans Persoons (Vooruit) cited the late formation of the Brussels government — which only took office in February 2026 after 613 days of political impasse — as a key reason for the delay. The Brussels Renature plan runs to more than 500 pages and was delivered to government cabinets in late August. Her office is now targeting approval in first reading in September-October 2026, with final approval expected in summer 2027.
Walloon Minister for Nature Ann-Catherine Dalcq (MR) said the Walloon plan could be presented to the Walloon government for approval this autumn, prioritizing quality over speed. “We have chosen to prioritize quality work, rather than hastily drafting a document that would lack both stakeholder support and the necessary robustness to achieve the goals set,” her spokesperson said.
Flanders, meanwhile, has its preparatory work done but still needs final approval from the Flemish government. Flemish Minister for Environment Jo Brouns (CD&V) has faced criticism from business organizations Voka, Unizo, and Boerenbond, who argue the plan goes beyond EU requirements — a practice known as goldplating. Brouns has denied this, saying “the call for more nature sounds loudly, but as far as I’m concerned, it does not fall on deaf ears.”
A Contentious History
The Nature Restoration Law was deeply divisive in Belgium from the start. In 2023 and 2024, it was a hot-button issue in European politics. A weakened version was approved by the European Parliament in February 2024, and the law was finally approved by EU member states in June 2024. Belgium abstained during the vote because of disagreement between its regions — Flanders was against, while Wallonia and Brussels were in favor, as VRT NWS reported.
There is a bitter irony in the current situation: the regions that supported the law most strongly — Wallonia and Brussels — are now the ones causing the delay, while Flanders, which opposed it, is further along.
Earlier Warnings
The delay was not entirely unexpected. As early as February 2025, Goedele Van der Spiegel, administrator-general of the Agency for Nature and Forest (ANB), stated that the September 2026 deadline was unrealistic. She cited the need for a plan-MER (strategic environmental impact assessment) and public consultation, suggesting May 2027 as a more realistic timeline, as VILT reported.
Federal Climate Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) is now looking at November 2026 as a more realistic date for submitting the national plan.
Environmental Groups React
Environmental organizations have reacted with frustration. Joeri Thijs of Greenpeace Belgium called the missed deadline “a pure disgrace for our country.” He said: “After yet another summer of extreme weather, it is culpable negligence by our governments. Healthy nature means, for example, more cooling for people during heatwaves or more buffer for excess water during heavy rainfall.”
Natuurpunt conducted actions at five locations across Flanders in late August, urging Minister Brouns to create an ambitious plan. Jos Ramaekers of Natuurpunt Limburg said: “Someone has to make the decision, because if you just put the parties together, often no decision comes out of it.” The organization also highlighted that Limburg hosts 40 percent of Flemish nature, much of which is under threat from nitrogen overload and drought.
The stakes are high. In Brussels alone, 53 percent of the ground is impermeable, 34 bird species are declining, 41 bee species have become extinct, and 39 percent of butterfly species have disappeared. In Flanders, only 19 percent of nature is in good condition, according to Mieke Schauvliege (Groen) in the Flemish Parliament.
What’s Next
Belgium now faces a revised timeline: Brussels aims for approval of its Renature plan in first reading in September-October 2026, with final approval expected in summer 2027. Federal Climate Minister Crucke hopes to submit the national plan to the European Commission by November 2026.
The missed deadline raises broader questions about the EU’s ability to enforce its environmental agenda when even a founding member state struggles to comply. It also highlights the challenges of multi-level governance in Belgium, where the complex federal structure makes unified action on environmental matters particularly difficult.
As the summer of 2026 brought extreme weather across Europe, the urgency of nature-based solutions to climate adaptation has never been clearer. Whether Belgium can translate that urgency into action before the next deadline remains to be seen.