The Brussels Court of First Instance has mandated fines against the Flemish government due to excessive nitrate levels in water sources, setting a penalty of €1,000 per day up to a maximum

of €1 million. This decision follows a ruling last June requiring Flanders to enhance water quality measures, which the court found insufficiently implemented.

The verdict aligns with concerns raised by environmental groups in 2022, citing nitrate exceedances at over 30% of monitoring sites, well above Flanders' target of 5%.

While Flanders retains the right to appeal, it must comply with the penalty until further notice. Flemish Environment Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) acknowledged the ruling, emphasizing ongoing efforts to improve water quality. Photo by Kris.buelens, Wikimedia commons.