Flemish Energy and Climate Agency


Flemish Energy and Climate Agency is a government agency of the Flemish Region under the Flemish Ministry of Environment, tasked with the preparation and execution of Flemish energy policy and climate policy.

Overview

The agency was originally created as the "Flemish Energy Agency" by a decision of the Flemish Government dated 16 April 2004 as part of the government reform project Beter Bestuurlijk Beleid. By a decision of the Flemish Government of 31 March 2006, the agency began operation 1 April 2006. It is led by an Administrator-General, who is appointed by the Flemish Government for a renewable six year term. Starting 1 January 2021 the agency was reformed and renamed by the Flemish Government into the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency.
The agency is made up out of the parts, responsible for energy, of the former Division of Natural Resources and Energy of the Flemish administration. It currently has some 180 employees.
The agency has its main office in Brussel and has offices in Gent and Hasselt. The agency employs a highly educated, technically trained staff, about two thirds of whom are engineers, legal and environmental protection specialists.

Mission

The mission of VEKA is to prepare, stimulate, coordinate, implement, monitor and evaluate policy initiatives in the field of energy and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the transition to a climate-neutral and sustainable society in Flanders, whereby the policy instruments are used in a cost-efficient and high-quality manner, and the social and economic impact is taken into account.
According to Article 2.1.3 of the Energy Decree of 19 November 2010, VEKA has the following tasks:
The agency works closely with other Flemish agencies and administrations, as well as with the federal and local governments to develop new decrees and regulations and to enforce existing energy regulations. To enforce the compliance to energy regulations, the agency has the power to impose administrative sanctions, for instance fines, as punishment for non-compliance.