Country Overviews
Introduction
Belgium is a federal state composed of seven autonomous, but related entities: the Federal State, the three Regions (the Flemish Region, the Walloon Region and the Region of Brussels-Capital) and the three Communities (Flemish Community, the French Community and the German-speaking Community). In practice the Flemish Region and Flemish Community have merged their governments and institutions, which are referred to as the government and institutions of the Flemish Community. Responsibility for science and technology as a whole and for transport is distributed between these entities.
At the federal level, the Public Planning Service Science Policy unit (PPS Science Policy) is responsible for several thematic research programmes on transport and mobility, which have been in existence from 1991 to the present. These are either direct transport programmes or have transport as one of the themes in a broader programme.
The Programme Policy Research Centres (Programma Steunpunten voor Beleidsrelevant Onderzoek) within the Science and Innovation Administration (AWI) of the Flemish Government, covers a number of themes, one of which is safe mobility management.
The Department for Spatial Development of the Flemish Community has developed the SPRE (Strategisch Plan voor Ruimtelijke Economie) programme. This is a spatial development programme for the Flemish Region and includes transport.
In the Walloon Region, research is handled by the Operational General Directorate for the Economy, Employment and Research (DGO6), together with the Technology Stimulation Agency (AST). The CPDT (Permanent Conference on Territorial Development) also initiates research on particular themes in the framework of continuing research programmes. The CPDT was created in 1998 and deals with various research topics in spatial and transport planning.
In the Brussels region, the Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Government is responsible for research policy and works closely with the Research and Innovation Service (SRI-DOI) to promote new research activities and follow-up international programmes for scientific research.
Besides specific research programmes, transport research is financed by the ministries of transport, environment, energy, etc, at both the federal and regional level. For example:
- The Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport unit - research covering mobility;
- The Flemish region - research under the Flanders Mobility Plan;
- The Walloon Public Service - projects to support the implementation of the "Mobility and Transport Plan for the Walloon Region";
- The Equipment and Transport Administration of the Brussels-Capital Region - research under its regional transport plan.
Federal level
Belgian Federal Public Planning Service Science Policy (PPS Science policy) / Service Public Fédéral de Programmation Politique scientifique (SPP Politique scientifique) - Federale Programmatorische Overheidsdienst Wetenschapsbeleid (POD Wetenschapsbeleid)
SSD - Science for a Sustainable Development (2005-2009) / La science pour un développement durable / Wetenschap voor een duurzame ontwikkeling
SSD is the continuation of the first and second "Scientific Support Plan for a Sustainable Development Policy" (SPSD I and II). SSD is composed of eight priority research areas, one of them being Transport and mobility and another on Energy.
SPSD II - Second Scientific Support Plan for a Sustainable Development Policy (2001-2005) / PADD II - Deuxime Plan d'appui scientifique ˆ une politique de dŽveloppement durable / PODO II - Tweede Plan voor wetenschappelijke ondersteuning van een beleid gericht op duurzame ontwikkeling
Main strands: (i) Sustainable production and consumption patterns, (ii) Global change, ecosystems and biodiversity, (iii) Supporting actions and (iv) Mixed actions. Part I "Sustainable Production and Consumption Patterns" had four main themes, including Transport and Energy. Follows the SPSD I, which ran from 1996 to 2001.
www.belspo.be/belspo/fedra/prog.asp?l=en&COD=CP
The above research programmes are developed within the framework of a cooperation agreement with the Regions and/or the Communities.
Regional level
Flemish Government / Vlaamse Overheid
Flanders Mobility / Mobiel Vlaanderen
The Programme Policy Research Centres (Programma Steunpunten voor Beleidsrelevant Onderzoek) of the Flemish Government covers research on 14 themes, one of which is mobility.
www.mobielvlaanderen.be/onderzoek.php?a=18
Flemish Foundation for Traffic Knowledge (FFT) / Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde (VSV)
An administrative agency under the Flemish Government
www.verkeerskunde.be/EN/
Walloon Region / Région Wallonne
www.wallonie.be/en/themes/transport-et-mobilite/index.html
Walloon Public Service / Service Public de Wallonie
Operational Directorate Generals involved in transport research are:
- DGO1 - Routes et B‰timents (Highways and Buildings),
- DGO2 - MobilitŽ et Voies hydrauliques (Mobility and Waterways) and
- DGO6 - ƒconomie, Emploi et Recherche (Economy, Employment and Research)
Walloon Region, Permanent Conference for Territorial Development (CPDT) / Région Wallonne, Conférence Permanente du Développement Territorial
Walloon Technology Stimulation Agency / Agence de Stimulation Technologique (AST)
Brussels-Capital Region / Région Bruxelles-Capitale / Brussels Hoofstedelijk Gewest
CPDT - various projects / Conférence Permanente du Développement Territorial
Research projects in the Walloon Region covering mobility (including infrastructure, multimodality and public transport) as well as related themes such as regional economic planning and development, land use, climate and energy.
http://cpdt.wallonie.be/?id_page=5
Policy Research Centre Mobility, Public Works, Track Traffic Safety / Steunpunt Mobiliteit & Openbare Werken, spoor Verkeersveiligheid
Programme of the Flemish Government (Science and Innovation Administration), covering research on 8 transports themes.
www.steunpuntmowverkeersveiligheid.be
Prospective Research in Brussels (Brussels-Capital Region) / Research on mobility, environment and sustainable development.
Public Research Institutes
Belgian Road Research Centre (BRRC) / Centre de recherches routières - Opzoekingscentrum voor de Wegenbouw
Belgian Road Safety Institute (IBSR / BIVV) / Institut Belge pour la SŽcuritŽ Routire - Belgisch Instituut voor de Verkeersveiligheid
Flemish Policy Research Centre Mobility, Public Works, Track Traffic Safety / Steunpunt Mobiliteit & Openbare Werken, spoor Verkeersveiligheid
www.steunpuntmowverkeersveiligheid.be
