A “solid Christmas agreement” has been reached within the Flemish government during its last Council of Ministers meeting of the year, Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) announced on X early Saturday morning, shortly after 1:00.
The agreement includes a reform of permit applications. Under the new measures, permits for new projects in Flanders can no longer be blocked by conflicting opinions. Access to appeal procedures will be limited to individuals who can demonstrate a concrete, current, and personal environmental interest.
The reform introduces a “duty of vigilance” to ensure that objections are raised transparently at an early stage, rather than being withheld until appeal procedures. “Concerns must be laid on the table immediately,” emphasised Minister-President Diependaele.
Applicants will also be required to conduct consultations before submitting a permit application to identify and address potential issues in advance. A “pause button” will allow for modifications to projects without having to restart the application process. Advisory bodies involved in the process will issue a single, integrated, non-binding opinion for each project.
The government also addressed the growing waiting lists for social housing, which have reached a record 209,843 applicants. Flemish Housing Minister Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) presented an emergency plan aimed at reversing the trend by constructing new social housing. The plan includes affordable loans for housing associations, mandatory quotas for social housing in each municipality, penalties for non-compliance, and expedited procedures for obtaining building permits.
Discussions on Friday evening also covered a potential ban on social media for those under 16 years old, a proposal which was ultimately not adopted. However, Media Minister Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA) presented the “Safe Online” action plan, emphasising the risks social media pose to young people. The plan proposes stricter age verification for users under 13 and requires tech companies to implement better protections for minors.
Minister Van Achter explained that an outright ban could have unintended consequences. “It would result in the opposite effect, turning social media into a taboo. For many young people, social media is also a source of support, self-expression, information, and community,” she said.
The plan also seeks to block algorithms that promote endless scrolling and addictive content. Personalised ads targeting minors will be banned, and penalties will be imposed for non-compliance with these measures.
